Owain Owain was a Welsh novelist, short story writer and poet. Known for his contributions to Welsh literature and promoting the Welsh language, he wrote the seminal science fiction novel The Last Day (Y Dydd Olaf, 1976). He was a crucial figure in the Welsh Language Society, establishing Tafod y Ddraig as its official voice and designing its iconic red dragon's tongue logo.
Owain was born in Pwllheli to Richard Alfred Owen and Mary Jones. He was educated at Ysgol Tŷ Tan Domen in Bala. Owain began his career as a nuclear scientist at Windscale but returned to Wales in 1956 with his wife, Eira, to raise their four children.
Settling in Bangor, he pursued his passion for Welsh language activism, using his scientific precision to foster a disciplined movement. "He inspired my generation," said politician Dafydd Iwan, acknowledging Owain's foundational role in the Society's early years.
While serving as the Society's secretary in Bangor, Owain devised new forms of protest and coined the phrase 'Y Fro Gymraeg' (The Welsh-Speaking Region) to reflect his vision of a future in which Welsh language rights were firmly established. His contributions went beyond activism; Owain published the first map showing the distribution of Welsh speakers, claiming, "If we win Y Fro Gymraeg, we will win Wales; if not, Wales will not be won".
Owain's influence on literature has been equally profound. In The Last Day, he ventured into science fiction, weaving a narrative that explored themes of free will, artificial intelligence and national identity.
Literary critic Pennar Davies praised the book in his foreword, saying, "There is nothing like this book in our language or any other". Ahead of its time, the novel offered a meditation on the survival of minority languages and the socio-historical forces threatening them. Critics have compared its philosophical depth to that of Dostoyevsky and its postmodern narrative to that of Philip K. Dick and Kurt Vonnegut.
In addition to his literary achievements, Owain was a prolific writer of short stories, poetry and children's literature. His collection, Mical (1977), a fictional biography, won recognition from the Arts Council of Wales. He also anticipated the advent of the internet, predicting that teachers would soon act as guides in a computer-centred learning environment.
Owain Owain died in Caernarfon in 1993.
Owain was born in Pwllheli to Richard Alfred Owen and Mary Jones. He was educated at Ysgol Tŷ Tan Domen in Bala. Owain began his career as a nuclear scientist at Windscale but returned to Wales in 1956 with his wife, Eira, to raise their four children.
Settling in Bangor, he pursued his passion for Welsh language activism, using his scientific precision to foster a disciplined movement. "He inspired my generation," said politician Dafydd Iwan, acknowledging Owain's foundational role in the Society's early years.
While serving as the Society's secretary in Bangor, Owain devised new forms of protest and coined the phrase 'Y Fro Gymraeg' (The Welsh-Speaking Region) to reflect his vision of a future in which Welsh language rights were firmly established. His contributions went beyond activism; Owain published the first map showing the distribution of Welsh speakers, claiming, "If we win Y Fro Gymraeg, we will win Wales; if not, Wales will not be won".
Owain's influence on literature has been equally profound. In The Last Day, he ventured into science fiction, weaving a narrative that explored themes of free will, artificial intelligence and national identity.
Literary critic Pennar Davies praised the book in his foreword, saying, "There is nothing like this book in our language or any other". Ahead of its time, the novel offered a meditation on the survival of minority languages and the socio-historical forces threatening them. Critics have compared its philosophical depth to that of Dostoyevsky and its postmodern narrative to that of Philip K. Dick and Kurt Vonnegut.
In addition to his literary achievements, Owain was a prolific writer of short stories, poetry and children's literature. His collection, Mical (1977), a fictional biography, won recognition from the Arts Council of Wales. He also anticipated the advent of the internet, predicting that teachers would soon act as guides in a computer-centred learning environment.
Owain Owain died in Caernarfon in 1993.
years of life: 11 December 1929 – 19 December 1993
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