Eye On Wales - Observations From An American Perspective

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first published in June 2001

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Portmeirion’s Prisoner Convention Inspires A Modest Proposal

Portmeirion, the Italianate Village nestled in the deep Welsh heart of Gwynedd, saw the return of the Prisoner Convention, also known as the Portmeiricon, on the last weekend of March this year. The Convention, despite greatly exaggerated rumors of its impending demise following the cancellation of last year’s traditional August event, was a roaring success.

Up until the last minute pessimists, stomachs gurgling with sour grapes, predicted that the outdoor reenactments of scenes from the TV show, “The Prisoner”, would probably be held in the pouring rain, given the months of such weather suffered to date by the area, with participants shivering under winter parkas and umbrellas. These forecasts were coupled with warnings of poor attendance. Well, ha! Neither the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which ground the Welsh tourism industry to a halt, nor the possibility of bad weather prevented conventioneers from arriving with their open-sided mini-mokes, roofless Caterham 7 roadsters and colorful Prisoner clobber. Further, if you check your weather almanac you’ll note that both Convention Saturday and Sunday saw brilliant sunshine with mild springtime temperatures. The election parade, the human chess match and the bout with Rover, the menacing weather balloon -- events produced by volunteers from Six of One, The Prisoner Appreciation Society went off like clockwork. The overall spirit of the weekend was that of cooperation, fun and discovery as conventioneers competed in art and trivia (“Who Wants to be a Prisoner Millionaire?”) contests, attended screenings of Prisoner rarities and joined in the ever-popular “Guest Interrogation” this year featuring Frank Maher, Patrick (Number Six) McGoohan’s personable stunt double.

It was interesting to note how many people from all over the world were meeting each other for the first time at the Convention. Some had become acquainted on-line and corresponded for years before finally meeting here on the roof of Wales all because of a show called “The Prisoner” featuring the adventures of an Everyman called Number Six.

A Modest Proposal
With enough magnetism to pull a worldwide constituency to North Wales wouldn’t it be proper to begin thinking of Number Six as a modern Welsh hero? Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, Owain Glyndwr and even the voiceless Gelert are Welsh champions who are fading like stars in the light of the twenty first century’s rising sun. If there ever was a new local hero for this mountainous corner of North Wales it should be Number Six, the eponymous Prisoner. Number Six, like his valiant predecessors, fought for freedom and independence, and not only for himself, but for his fellow captives of the world’s most beautiful prison -- Portmeirion, in North Wales.

If Rodri Morgan can propose a statue of Sir Harry Secombe for Swansea, if the Scots have a statue of William “Braveheart” Wallace, then at least a place of significance in the story of contemporary North Wales should be given to Number Six.

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