Nia Penny-Smith

niapennysmith@gmail.com

"Nobody speaks Welsh anymore!"

'Hireath' is a Welsh word describing a deep, bittersweet longing for home.

I grew up in South Wales without ever learning Welsh, and upon moving to London, I began to yearn for a stronger connection to my idyllic home. This piece explores that tension - searching for cultural identity between the erosion of the Welsh language and my inherited ties to Welsh socialism.

It questions whether belonging really is rooted in fluency, or whether a willingness to adore the place you're from is enough to truly call it home.