MacDonald, Julien (b. l972): from Merthyr, trained as a dancer, but studied fashion design at Cardiff Art College to become a leading designer of knitwear at Chanel. His shows have become internationally famous for their creativity.

MacDonald, Tom (l900-80): novelist from Llandre, Cards; a journalist in China, Australia and S. Africa who wrote in Welsh and English.

Machen, Arthur (l863-l947): Caerleon-born actor, and journalist, author of The Angel of Mons, The Great God Pan, and other works.

Mackworth, Humphrey (l637-l727): member of an influential family with mining and copper smelting at Neath, he was a founder member of S.P.C.K. in l699.

Madog, Philip (b: l934): from Merthyr, actor of stage, screen and television, known for his roles in Last of the Mohicans and Dad's Army on T.V.

Madocks, William Alexander (l773-ll828): industrialist from Denbighshire who gave up a career in Parliament to develop the towns of Tremadoc and Porthmadog and to build the road from London to Holyhead, including the Cob embankment across the River Glaslyn. He died broke in Paris.

Madog ap Owain Gwynedd (or Madoc, l2th century): a legendary prince who sought lands away from the troubles of his native Wales. His eight ships led by the Gwennan Gorn reached what is now Mobile Bay, Alabama in 1169. He then returned for additional settlers. Sailing from Lundy Island in 1171, they were never heard from again. Tradition has it that the adventurers settled in the Mississippi Valley, being discovered at the time of the Revolutionary War as the Mandans of N. Dakota but decimated by smallpox in l838 (see John Evans).

Madog ap Gruffuddd (d. l236): the ruler of a region of northern Powys who founded the Cistercian Abbey at Valle Crucis, Llangollen.

Madog ap Maredudd (d. ll60): the last King of Powys who extended his boundaries during the reign of weak King Stephen of England, but allied himself to Henry ll against Owain Gwynedd.

Maelgwn Gwynedd (Magloconus, 490-549 A.D.): the son of the king of Gwynedd (Cadwallon Lawhir) who was educated at Llanilltud Fawr before taking over the throne of Gwynedd to extend its influence through much of Britain. He was known as Insularis Draco (Dragon or High King of the Island).

Magnus Maximus (335-388 A.D.): Romano-British political and military leader who may have built the foundations of the Welsh nation before leaving for the Continent after he had been proclaimed Emperor by his troops. Known to the Welsh people as Macsen Wledig, he has a place in legend in The Dream of Macsen Wledig second only to Arthur.

Mainwaring, Evelyn (l9l6-2004): from Aberafan, she was known as the most famous fan in Welsh rugby, following Aberfan for 75 years; her son Billy played for Wales six times. She received an ovation during a game against Neath.

Malcolm, Christian (b. l977): internationally known athlete, Chris became World Junior l00m and 200m Champion in l998. In l997 he had beaten Carl Lewis in a race at Zurich. On 26 Feb 2000, he won his first senior title.

Manic Street Preachers: a rock band from Blackwood, Glam, their major label debut was l992’s Generation Terrorists. Guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards disappeared in l995. The trio then had a huge success with their l996 Everything Must Go winning three major British awards. In l999 they signed with Virgin in the U.S., and were the first major rock band to play in Cuba.

Mansell, Admiral Sir Robert (1573-1656): b. Margam; explorer and adventurer, Treasurer of the Royal Navy, Vice-Admiral of the Realm and M.P. for various constituencies including Glamorgan.

Maredudd ab Owain (935-999 A.D.): grandson of Hywel Dda, he ruled most of Wales during the time of the Danish invasions, helping preseve its unity to earn the title “Most praiseworthy king of the Britons.”

Marley, Bob (l945-8l): highly influential Jamaican rock musician, Rastafarian and pioneer of Reggae, son of a Welsh army officer and plantation manager.

Mathew, David (l902-76): prolific historian and novelist, Bishop Auxiliary at Westminster and Catholic Archbishop of Apamea in Ethiopia.

Mathews, Abraham (l832-99): from Llanidloes, a minister at Aberdare; he went with the first settlers to Patagonia where he wrote its early history.

Mathias, Roland (b. l9l5): b. Talybont-on-Usk: poet, editor and critic, headmaster at Pembroke Dock for ten years; a member of the Welsh Arts Councils’ Literature Committeee and Yr Academi Gymreig; editor of Dock Leaves from l96l-l976; an extensive contributor to Anglo-Welsh literature.

Mathias, Tom (l866-l92?): born near Cilgerran, a self-taught photographer, in a 40-year career documenting the lives and people of his time.

Mathias, William (1934-1992): from Whitland, Carmarthenshire, a noted composer and pianist. Educated at Bangor and R.A.M, was a lecturer at Bangor University College, later Head of Music Dept; curtailed by illness, he composed in virtually all the musical genres. In 1972 he founded and directed the North Wales Music Festival at St. Asaph.

Matthews, Sir Terry (b. l943): from Newbridge, Gwent; contemporary businessman who began a career with British Telecom; chairman and chief executive of March Networks Corporation, the world’s leading supplier of ATM technology; co-founder of Mital Networks Corporation; Fellow of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, University of Wales. He created the huge hotel and golf complex at Celtic Manor, Newport; knighted in 2001.

McBride, Robin (b. l970): b. Bangor, he is one of the few North Walians to play first class rugby, moving from Mold, to Swansea and Llanelli, which he captained in l998 and l999 to win championships.

McCready, William: playhouse manager who satisfied the local taste for spectacle and melodrama at the Swansea Theatre from l8l9 to l829.

Meibion Glyndwr (Sons of Glyndwr): a Nationalist group that carried out arson attacks against English-owned holiday cottages in Wales in the l980’s (always when the house was empty).

Meilir Brydydd (ll00-37): one of the early poets and chief poet to Gruffudd ap Cynan who began a bardic revival in Gwynedd.

Melangell (6th C.): patron saint of all small creatures, a princess in Welsh folk tales who sheltered a hare.

Merchant, Moelwyn (b. l9l3): b. Port Talbot: a poet and critic, lecturer at Cardiff, Professor at University of Exeter; vicar of Llanddewibrefi; author of critical studies and essays, and libretti for Alun Hoddinott’s operas.

Merched y Gerddi (The Girls of the Garden, l8th-l9th C.): girls from Mid-Wales who walked to London to find work in the public gardens.

Merched y Wawr (Daughter of the Dawn, f. l967): founded after the National Federation of Women’s Institutes had refused to allow the official use of Welsh at Parc, Near Bala. It publishes Y Wawr and has many branches.

Meredith, Billy "Old Skinny" (b. l884): "the Welsh Wizard". From Chirk, Billy went to City from Wrexham, working in the mines and playing the next day. He won 48 caps for Wales, including the day they beat England for the first time when he was 48 years old.

Merfyn Frych (790-844 A.D.): King of Gwynedd who resisted the English of Mercia and who began a cultural revival in Wales that brought about the flowering of poetry, history, and religious works.

Merlin (Myrddyn): the magician or seer of Welsh legend that had him fleeing to Celyddon Wood after a battle to live as a wild man and receive the gift of prophecy. The tale is retold in Vitae Merlini and Historia Regum Britanniae by Geoffrey of Monmouth and in ancient poetry where he is a chief character in the Arthuriana. He is also found in “Armes Prydain” in The Book of Taliesin.

Meyrick, Robert K. (b. l958): from Ogmore Vale, Glamorgan, senior lecturer and Keeper of Art at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth with a career as educator, researcher, writer, artist and innovator.

Miles, Gareth (b. l938): b. Caernarfon, short story writer; Organizer of the Teacher’s Union who helped write the manifesto of the Welsh Republican Movement, Socialism for the Welsh People (l980).

Miles, John (l62l-83): set up the first Baptist church in Wales in l649 at Ilston, Gower. He founded Swanzey, Massachusetts in l663.

Milland, Raymond (Reginald Truscott Jones, l907-l986): b. Neath; actor and film-director After service with the British army, his first English film was The Flying Scotsman (l929). One of Hollywood's most versatile actors, he won an Oscar for The Lost Weekend (l945): his baldness came from hot curling irons used on his hair in Reap the Wild Wind (l946).

Mills, Dr. Donald (d. 2003): b. Llanelli, Don moved to Canada in l96l to work for the National Research Council in Ottawa to join Terry Matthews at Mitel. A major contributor to Welsh life in Canada, Don was president of the WNGGGA from l90-92, President of the Ontario Gymanfa Ganu Asociation l978-l980, and President of the Ottawa Welsh Society and the Ottawa Welsh Choral Society.

Mills, John (Ieuan Glan Alarch, l8l2-73): from Llandidloes, a musician whose numerous books greatly improved the common people’s knowledge of music and singing. He also wrote books on Britain’s Jews.

Mills, Robert Scourfield (Arthur Owen Vaughan), l863-l909): Anglo-Welsh writer brought up at Tremeirchion, Flints, cavalry commander in the Boer War, wrote stories for boys and novels; Flamebearers of Welsh History (l905).

Miners' Federation of Great Britain (1889): founded in Newport, Gwent; it argued for the creation of a Board of Arbitration to replace the Sliding Scale and to restrict the working day to eight hours. Its activities were to dominate life in the five great industrial Valleys of South Wales.

Minogue, Kylie (b. l968): sensational pop star from Australia her mother was from Maesteg and her grandmother came from Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Mistar Urdd: the green, red, and white mascot of the Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

Mitchinson, Maureen Guy: b. Penclawdd, Swansea, has achieved worldwide renown as a mezzo soprano, including principal roles with the the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, the Frankfort Opera; and many of the world’s concert halls.

Morgan, Barry Cennydd (b. l946): from the Neath area, Bishop of Llandaf and former Bishop of Bangor, who became the Archbishop of Wales in 2003 succeeding Rowan Williams who moved to Canterbury.

Morgan, Captain Henry (l635-l688): born at Llanrhymny, famous buccaneer of the Golden Age of Piracy. After thwarting Spanish attempts to capture Jamaica, he was knighted by Charles 11, who made him Deputy Governor of the island.

Morgan, Cliff (b. 1930): from Trebanog, played in 29 rugby internationals. Editor of Rugby: the Greats. In 1958, joined BBC as Sports Organizer for Wales; edited Sportsview, later becoming Head of Outside Broadcasting for BBC TV. In l997, inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

Morgan, Daniel (1756-1802): son of a Welsh iron master in New Jersey, Brigadier General Daniel defeated a British force at Cowpens, N. C. in January, l78l. He later helped suppress the Whiskey Rebellion and served as U.S. Congressman.

Morgan, Derec Llwyd (b. l943): b. Carmarthenshire; an accomplished author and eisteddfodwr and critic, senior lecturer at Aberystwyth and Bangor; has written on Welsh authors, the history of Methodism and collections of poems; a frequent broadcaster, Chairman of the Council of the National Eisteddfod (l979-82), currently Senior Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales.

Morgan, Dyfnallt (b. l9l7): b. Dowlais, Merthyr, a writer, critic and translator and BBC producer who taught at Bangor University; has written verse, literary criticism, and translated plays into Welsh.

Morgan, Elaine (b. 1920): b. Pontypridd, known for her controversial theories of evolution as expressed in such books as Descent of Woman (l972), The Aquatic Ape (l982) and others.

Morgan, Eluned (l870-l938): born on a voyage to Patagonia, Elunded became a leading figure in the cultural and religious life of Wladfa (the Colony).

Morgan, Enoch (l676-l740): minister at Welsh Tract Church, Delaware, he published the second Welsh language book in the USA (Cyd-gordiad Egwyddorawl o’r Scrythrau) in l730 (written by his brother Abel).

Morgan, George Osborne (l820-97): born in Sweden, educated at Bangor; lawyer and Liberal M.P. in l868 for East Denbigh who ended the Wynn hegemony after l60 years. He became Judge Advocate-General and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Colonies. In l880, he secured the Burials Act, allowing Nonconformist to perform burials with their own form of service; he strongly supported the Welsh Sunday Closing Act of l88l (which recognized Wales as a separate entity), and he helped Hugh Owen promoted the idea of a National University for Wales.

Morgan, Gerald (b. l935): b. Sussex of Welsh parents, learned Welsh at Jesus College, Oxford; tutor-librarion at Aberystwyth University then head of Llangefni School, then Ysgol Penweddig, Aberystwyth; has many books to his credit.

Morgan, Griffith (see Guto Nyth Bran).

Morgan, Helen (b. l952): from Barry, as Miss Wales she won Miss World title in l974 but was stripped of her title after four days when it was disclosed she had an l8 month old son. Helen kept her Miss Wales title, returning from Spain in 2004 to judge the Miss Wales contest.

Morgan, John Rhys (l760-l804): from the Rhymney Valley, a Baptist minister who campaigned vigorously for political and religious freedom. Moving to the United States, he founded a company to establish a Welsh colony Cambria in Ohio.

Morgan, Kenneth Owen (Baron Morgan of Aberdovey, b. 1934): Professor and later Principal, University of Wales, Aberystwyth 1989-95: senior vice chancellor, 1985-89; has a distinguished career in education and college administrator in Wales and abroad with over 50 works on British and Welsh history and society. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in l983.

Morgan, Morgan: founder of the first permanent European settlement in West Virginia, at Mill Creek in 173l. Coal was discovered there in 1742.

Morgan, Sir Morien Bedford (l9l2-l978): from Bridgend, Fellow of the Royal Society; played a pioneering role in in the world of aerodynamics. After serving an apprenticeship at Vickers Aviation, he saw through countless engineering projects, including the development of the Concorde.

Morgan, Prys (b. l937): b. Cardiff, a prolific writer, broadcaster and editor with many published works.

Morgan, Rhodri (b.1939): Cardiff-born Rhodri is back in the capital city as First Minister for the National Assembly of Wales after serving in Westminster as Labour M.P. for Cardiff West (l979-2000). Educated at Oxford and Harvard, Welsh-speaking Rhodri served as Economic Development Secretary for the Assembly (l999-2000).

Morgan, Richard (d. l9l8): the last British service man to die in W.W.1 (serving on HMS Garland). On Armistice Day, November 11th, l9l8, Seaman Morgan joined 40,000 Welshman who died in the war.

Morgan, Richard William (l8l5-l887): Llangynfelyn, Cardiganshire, clergyman and leading figure in eisteddfodau and the Gorsedd; wrote many books on Wales and the Church.

Morgan, Robert Erwyn (Erwyn, 1929-1999): born in U.S. raised in Usk, after a distinguished career at the University of Alabama. In 1970, he was admitted to the Gorsedd for his tireless work on behalf of Wales and Welsh Americans. He served as vice-president of the Honorable Society of the Cymmrodorion; received the Hopkins Medal from the St. David’s Society of New York; and helped found the annual Welsh Academic Conference that began at Rio Grande. Dr. Morgan also helped establish a medical school at Benin, Nigeria. He was particularly proud of his work with the fledgling W.D.A. on programs to benefit the future of Wales.

Morgan, Thomas (l542-95): b. Pencarn, Mon., known as The Warrior, he fought in the Netherlands, served as Governor of Flushing and Bergen–op-Zoom; instructed British soldiers in the use of the musket.

Morgan, Thomas, (l604-79): b. Llangattock, Mon., known as The Dwarf, a soldier on the Continent and in the service of Parliament against the Crown before becoming Governor of Jersey (Channel Islands).

Morgan, Thomas John (b. l907): from Glais, Cardiff; Registrar at University of Wales in l95l; then Professor of Welsh Language and Literature at Swansea with important works of scholarship and authoritative studies of Welsh,

Morgan, William (l545-l604): vicar of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, later Bishop of Llandaff and St. Asaph whose unmatched scholarship chose him to complete the work begun by William Salesbury to bring the whole scriptures to the Welsh people in their own language. His Bible of l588 and later editions were of enormous influence on the future of Welsh literature and language (see entry for Welsh Bible).

Morgan le Fay: a fairy enchantress who ruled Avalon where she helped heal King Arthur’s wounds. Her feats exemplified in Continental literature, she is remembered in Sicily in the Fata Morgana mirage.

Morgans, John O. (l9l5-2003): b. Cilrhedyn, Carmarthen; began as newspaper career with Cardigan and Towy-Side Advertiser, then with Gregynog Press before serving in W.W.11. Jones then moved to Toronto, later Boston and New York to become a leading figure in Welsh-American activities for 50 years.

Moris, Carey (1882-1968): from Llandeilo, painter and survivor of gassing in the trenches of World War 1 whose most famous work is “Welsh Weavers” showing the Edwards family of Rhosmaen.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir: after their arrival at Salt Lake City in l847, Welsh pioneers began a choir under conductor John Parry. The first performance took place on August 22, l847. Other choirs at Provo, under James Daniels, and the Deseret Philharmonic Society, under John M. Jones, soon augmented the Tabernacle Choir that became an American national institution by 1890 under the leadership of Evan Stephens, from Pencader.

Morris, Andrew (b. l962): from Abergavenny, Professor at the University of Houston, Texas, who is working on a vaccine to cure viral diarrhoea, a disease that kills millions of children each year in undeveloped countries of the world.

Morris, Billy (l9l8-2003): soccer star with Burnley and Wales; served with Royal Welch Fusiliers in World War Two; played in F.A. Cup Final against Charleton in l947; then managed Wrexham.

Morris, Jan (b. l926): born Somerset, resident of Wales, and a committed Welsh nationalist; before a sex change was a military intelligence officer who became a newspaper journalist (first to report on the British ascent of Everest in l953), and critically-acclaimed author of Pax Britannica, Our First Leader, and The Matter of Wales among countless others. Jan is a member of the Gorsedd.

Morris, Lewis (1701-65): Anglesey-born cartographer and mapmaker whose Tlysau yr hen Oesoedd (Treasure of the Ancient Ages), published in l7l7, was the first Welsh periodical most influential in the study of the history of Wales.

Morris, Margaret (l776-l885): from Tanrallt, Taliesin; still in charge of her faculties at aged l08, she was considered something of an oracle and authority on local history.

Morris, Roy (b. l938): deserving of mention is this gentleman from Monmouth who caught a record-breaking 33lb salmon in the Wye (March, 2004).

Morris-Jones, John (l864-l929): born Trefor, Anglesey, a founder member of Gymdeithas Dafydd ap Gwilym in l886; Professor of Welsh at Bangor in l895: published many books to help set studies of the Welsh language and literature on a firm academic foundation and had a great influence on the development of Welsh poetry in the early part of the 20th Century.

Morys, Huw (Eos Ceiriog, l622-l709): “the Ceiriog Nightingale,” a prolific and gifted Welsh poet.
Morys, Twm (b. l96l): Welsh language poet and essayist, using the sounds and rhythm of cynghanedd.

Murray the Hump: popular Welsh rock band founded l997 in Aberystwyth, named after Llewelyn Morris Humphreys, of Welsh parents, a close confidant of Al Capone (see separate entry).

Murphy, Paul (b. 1948): Usk-born, M.P. for Torfaen since 1987, holding many influential posts in Parliament. Secretary of State for Wales 1999-2002; then Secretary of State for Ireland.

Myddfai, The Physicians of (see Physicians of Myddfai)

Myddleton family, The: owners of Chirk Castle, Denbs., influential in North Wales politics for centuries. The family vacated the castle in 2004 due to lack of privacy from the many tourists.

Myddleton, Sir Hugh (l559-l643): b. Denbigh; son of Sir Richard, governor of Denbigh Castle, he became a successful London goldsmith and is ceredited with contruction of the New River scheme to supply the city with fresh water.

Mytton, John (l796-l834): as M.P. for Shrewsbury (attended Parliament for 30 minutes) he inherited a huge estate at Dinas Mawddwy, where he paid local children to roll down the mountain.