Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

  TRIBUTES have been paid to the man whose name was synonymous with shopping and business in Llanelli, Mr TH Gilmore (Gil) Jones. Universally known throughout the town as Gil or Gilmore, he died on Sunday, October 20, aged 82. Gilmore won the Llanelli Star’s Community Champion award in 2010 – an honour which reflected his busy life in retail in the town and his wider interests in supporting community life. Gilmore was President of Llanelli Chamber of Trade and Commerce between 2006 and 2009 and played a key role in supporting the Special Olympics Carmarthenshire club and his award-winning daughter Llinos. His good friend Andrew Stephens, who succeeded Gilmore as manager of the St Elli Shopping Centre in 2014, said: “To say he will be missed is an understatement as Gilmore was part of the fabric of community life in Llanelli.” Andrew, who is now a Llanelli Rural councillor, added: “Gilmore wore his heart on his sleeve and was 100 per cent committed to Llanelli and the people of the ...

The leader of Carmarthenshire County Council has paid tribute to Cllr Keith Davies who died today. Councillor Keith Davies represented the Council Division of Kidwelly in the Gwendraeth Valley. He had been a county councillor since 2008 and following his re-election in 2012, he was appointed to serve on the council’s Executive Board with responsibility for Education and Children, a position he held until earlier this year. Before retiring in 2006 he worked in retail management and was a supermarket manager with the Co-op. He was a Governor of Ysgol y Castell, Kidwelly and Ysgol Glanymor, Burry Port. He was also a member of Kidwelly Town Council and served on a number of other committees within his local community. Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “It was with sadness that I heard of the sudden, unexpected and early death of Cllr Keith Davies and would like to offer my sympathy to his family and to the people of Kidwelly where he was a central part of the community. “Everyone ...

ROBIN WILLIAMS 1951 -2014 With so many parts of the word in crisis, why should the death of an entertainer affect so many of us? Perhaps because during his 40-year career Robin Williams’ performances helped us forget the cruel world we live in. Apart his many hit films, he was a sensational stand-up comedian. In the early 80s he topped the bill on a Prince’s Trust Charity Performance, fresh from his TV series “Mork and Mindy” for which he was mainly known here. He struggled at first, sweating and looking panicky. But once the audience had attuned themselves to his manic, stream-of-consciousness delivery...boom! He got his first huge laugh and was off and running, improvising and riffing, like a veteran jazz musician. He was also a terrific actor in straight roles - playing memorably sinister characters in both “One Hour Photo” and “Insomnia” - and his voice performance as the animated Genie in “Aladdin” has entertained generations. And now he’s gone. Looking at his career and...

Robert Lloyd of the LA Times gives his appreciation of the life of Sid Caesar. Comedian Sid Caesar, who died Wednesday at the age of 91, was a giant and genius of television. He came into the medium, in 1949, when it was still molten. He helped shape TV comedy, even as TV, with its new technical demands and advantages, shaped his work. More on link in headline.

Tributes to devoted bishop | This is South Wales Tributes have been paid to a retired Welsh bishop from Carmarthen who has died. Bishop Roy Thomas Davies, former Bishop of Llandaff, passed away following a short illness. He was 79 and from Llangunnor. Story link to Thisissouthwales website.

A Llanelli rugby stalwart and former coroner's officer has died. Steve Pike, secretary and of the Llanelli Wanderers, passed away on Tuesday. Robert Lloyd, former editor of the Llanelli Star and Carmarthen Journal newspapers, said that Mr Pike was dedicated servant to sport in West Wales. "It's fair to say that he put a lifetime's work into grass-roots rugby, with his beloved Llanelli Wanderers occupying a very central role in a very full life. "Steve's career was in the police force and many will remember his work with Dyfed-Powys Police and the county coroner's office. For many years, he was the coroner's officer, a demanding a difficult role. "A Wanderer (Llanelli) as a player, he  also played for the Dyfed-Powys police teams. In fact, I can recall playing in the Llanelli and District League against Steve at a time when he had a reputation for being as uncompromising on the rugby field as he was to later become in the rugby committee...

THE close knit village of Cefneithin is trying to come to terms with the loss of one of its favourite sons. Former champion boxer Robert Dickie, who won Scottish and British featherweight titles and went on to become a World Super Featherweight champion, suffered a suspected heart attack at his home in Llanelli last week. He was just 46 years old. The funeral takes place on Monday Story from Llanelli Star - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Sad-passing-true-character/article-2827277-detail/article.html Here is the tribute I gave to the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - Former Carmarthen Journal andLlanelli Star editor Robert Lloyd said: “I was lucky enough to be the boxing correspondent of the South Wales Evening Post during the latter part of Robert Dickie’s career. “He was, without a doubt, one of the most talented boxers Wales has produced. “In the Top 10 in the world at his peak, he was a class act in the ring. If he had a flaw, it was that he lacked the ruthless ambition...

BBC News - Death of Welsh language poet Iwan Llwyd, aged 52 How sad.