It is a truism that you only recognise how brilliant something or someone is as you are about to move on. This is not true for me with Holyhead. It has always been a brilliant town, perched on the edge of Mon overlooking the Celtic Sea. I admit it took me a couple of week when I moved. I seem to remember the wind and rain were of Noahic flood proportions and I could barely see anything during that period.
Caergybi is the UK's second busiest port. It is cosmopolitan by North Wales standards. Its story rich and diverse, and people welcoming. 'Vicar' yelled a car driver narrowly missing running me over 'welcome to Holyhead!' just weeks after I had arrived.
It is Mon's largest town, but in reality is a collection of small villages living together in close proximity. It is a town where small businesses begin and thrive, and people long for the best to happen.
In terms of faith, it is at one and the same time the home of the UK's largest collection of Jedis according to the 2001 Census and a place of deep Celtic Christian heritage. Cybi the saint embedded within Caergbyi gave the town its overarching story and name (Cybi's fort - Caergybi). At one time, pilgrims came from all over the Christian world to see him. Holyhead has by and large forgotten this story... and hopefully the regeneration planned for St Cybi's will help it be told again.
It is a place that has given me a love for Wales, its language, land and people. I will miss it. Yet during this summer, I will enjoy it and remember it fondly as we part.
Pob bendith, Caergybi
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