We're the future, your future

That perspicacious blogger Jac o' the'North has been looking at the census figures and it's instructive to compare his figures on "Country of Birth" for the current Welsh counties with those for Radnorshire.

In 1981 the Welsh-born were the largest group in 20 of the 24 Radnorshire communities.  By 2001 the Welsh-born were still on top in 16 of the (by then) 27 communities, but by 2011 it had fallen to just 10 out of 27.  It's a fair assumption that by today Aberedw, Llanyre and Penybont will also have joined the ranks of those with an English majority, leaving, just 7 Radnorshire communities out of 27 with the Welsh as the largest grouping.

In the 30 years between 1981 and 2011 the population of Radnorshire has grown from 20902 to 25821, but the number born in Wales has fallen by over 13%, from 12254 to 10604.  Meanwhile the English born figure has risen from 8052 to 13938, an increase of over 70%.  Of course it can be argued that part of this increase is due to the use of maternity hospitals across the border, but in reality many of the largest increases are in communities in the west of the county.

It comes as something of a surprise to find that when we compare Welsh-only identifiers with the total Welsh-born population of the county we arrive at a figure of 87%.  Only Gwynedd is marginally higher.  Clearly the Welsh-born folk of  Radnorshire feel more Welsh than ever.  Here's a map showing the position in the various communities:.

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Of course this is of little importance when the number of Welsh majority communities has fallen from 20 to just 7.  Before long it should be possible to drive from Kington to Cardigan Bay without crossing a single community where the Welsh are in the majority.  What price Wales then?