Owen John Thomas Obituary and Death: A former Assembly Member and founder of Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, has passed away at the age of 84
Owen John Thomas, Former Senedd Member and Founder of Clwb Ifor Bach, Dies at 84
Owen John Thomas, a former Assembly Member and founder of Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, has passed away at the age of 84. Born on October 3, 1939, in Cardiff, United Kingdom, Thomas was a dedicated Plaid Cymru politician who served as Assembly Member (AM) for the South Wales Central region from 1999 to 2007.
Thomas was a passionate advocate for Welsh culture, language, and sport, and served as Plaid Cymru’s Assembly spokesman for these areas. He was also a published author, writing a Welsh language book in Cardiff, and played a key role in the formation of Clwb Ifor Bach, a Welsh club on Womanby Street.
In addition to his political career, Thomas was a devoted family man, leaving behind his wife Sian, six children, and 11 grandchildren. His son Hywel, an independent South Wales Central Senedd Member, remembered his father as a champion of Welsh independence and a tireless advocate for the people of Wales.
“He loved Wales, its people, language, and culture,” Hywel said. “He wanted Welsh independence from Westminster. He wanted nothing more than fairness and power to lift Wales out of poverty and give them a better future. He kept going, letter by letter, inch by inch.”
Thomas’s love for Cardiff and its people was evident in his passion for the city’s history and architecture. He knew the underground corridors and lanes connecting the Royal Arcade to the Tabernacle Chapel and Kingston Court’s old buildings’ facades, and had a story for every building.
“My father never tired of talking to people in Cardiff city centre’s streets and arcades, aggravating me and my brothers,” Hywel recalled. “We rewarded our patience at Morgan’s Arcade’s Sarsaparilla Bar. Sipping Sarsaparilla and Burdock on the counter’s high barstools felt like adulthood.”
Thomas’s legacy as a champion of Welsh culture and independence will be remembered for generations to come. His dedication to the people of Wales and his tireless advocacy for their rights will never be forgotten.
In 2013, Thomas was diagnosed with dementia, a condition that slowly took away his ability to engage with the world around him. Despite this, his family and friends remember him as a vibrant and passionate individual who never lost his love for Wales and its people.
Thomas’s passing is a significant loss for the people of Wales and the wider community. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his legacy will live on through the many lives he touched and the causes he championed.
As a former Assembly Member and founder of Clwb Ifor Bach, Thomas played a significant role in shaping the cultural and political landscape of Wales. His contributions to the country’s language, sport, and culture will be remembered for generations to come.
Thomas’s family and friends will miss him dearly, but they take comfort in the knowledge that his legacy will continue to inspire and motivate others to fight for the causes he believed in.
In conclusion, Owen John Thomas was a dedicated public servant, a passionate advocate for Welsh culture and independence, and a loving family man. His passing is a significant loss, but his legacy will live on through the many lives he touched and the causes he championed.
