Jennie Eirian Davies facts for kids

Jennie Eirian Davies (born January 6, 1925 – died May 6, 1982) was an important Welsh woman. She was a politician and also edited magazines. She worked hard to support Wales and its language.

Early Life and Education

Jennie Howells was born in a place called Llanpumsaint in Carmarthenshire, Wales. She went to University College of Wales, Aberystwyth to study. After her studies, she became a teacher.

Political Journey

Jennie Eirian Davies was very active in politics. She was a candidate for Plaid Cymru, which is a political party that supports Wales.

First Elections

In 1955, Jennie ran in the general election for the Carmarthen area. She received 7.78% of the votes. Two years later, in 1957, she ran again in a special election called a by-election. She did even better this time, getting 11.5% of the votes.

A Pioneer Woman

Jennie was the very first woman to run for Plaid Cymru in Carmarthenshire. Another famous politician, Gwynfor Evans, said she was a "most eloquent" candidate, meaning she was very good at speaking and convincing people.

Leading Women's Groups

From 1978 to 1980, Jennie was the national president of Merched y Wawr. This is a Welsh women's organization that promotes Welsh culture and language.

Writing and Editing

Jennie Eirian Davies loved to write and work with words.

Books for Young Readers

In the early 1960s, she wrote three books especially for children. She also edited a children's magazine called Antur, which means "Adventure" in Welsh.

Newspaper Columnist

Jennie wrote a regular column in a Welsh newspaper called Y Cymro. In her column, she talked about radio and television. She often used this space to ask for more TV and radio shows to be made in the Welsh language.

Magazine Editor

In 1979, Jennie became the editor of a weekly magazine named Y Faner. She continued to lead the magazine until she passed away.

Family Life

In 1949, Jennie married James Eirian Davies. He was a minister and a poet. They had two sons. Their first son was born in 1954, just before Jennie first ran for office. Their second son was born in 1958, not long after her second election campaign. One of her sons, Siôn Eirian, grew up to be a writer too. He writes screenplays and translates plays into Welsh.

Jennie Eirian Davies passed away suddenly in 1982 when she was 57 years old. There is a special plaque in front of a church in Llanpumsaint to remember her.