Editing Dafydd Iwan (section)

==Public life==
Using his architecture studies, in 1971 Iwan was one of the founders of {{lang|cy|Cymdeithas Tai Gwynedd}} (Gwynedd Housing Association) and was involved in other projects to provide homes for the local population in north-west Wales.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=James |first1=E. Wyn |title=Painting the World Green: Dafydd Iwan and the Welsh Protest Ballad |journal=Folk Music Journal |date=2005 |volume=8 |issue=5 |pages=594–618 |jstor=4522747 }}<br />Republished at {{cite web |last1=James |first1=E. Wyn |title=Painting the world green: Dafydd Iwan and the Welsh protest ballad |url=https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/special-collections/subject-guides/welsh-ballads/dafydd-iwan |website=Cardiff University |access-date=24 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hanes Cymdeithas Tai Gwynedd |trans-title=History of Gwynedd Housing Association |url=http://www.taigwynedd.co.uk/hanes.htm |website=Cymdeithas Tai Gwynedd |access-date=24 July 2018 |language=cy}}</ref>

Dafydd Iwan was one of the founders of {{lang|cy|[[Recordiau Sain Cyf]]}} (Sain Records Ltd), one of the main Welsh music labels.<ref name=Sain>{{cite web|title=Dafydd Iwan|url=http://www.sainwales.com/artists/dafydd-iwan|website=Sainwales.com|access-date=2 March 2013|archive-date=22 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822180008/http://www.sainwales.com/artists/dafydd-iwan|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Formerly a Plaid Cymru [[councillor]] in [[Gwynedd]], he lost his seat in the [[2008 United Kingdom local elections|May 2008 local elections]].

Iwan's long service to the Welsh language led to his being made an honorary member of the [[Gorsedd]] of [[Bard]]s at the [[National Eisteddfod]] at [[Bangor, Gwynedd|Bangor]] in 1971.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dafyddiwan.com/english/about.html|title=Dafydd Iwan|website=Dafyddiwan.com}}</ref>

Iwan escaped a driving ban (for speeding offences) in October 2003 on the basis that he needed to drive for his musical and political duties.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plaid Leader escapes speeding ban|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3194760.stm|access-date=2 March 2013 | work=BBC News|date=15 October 2003}}</ref>

Iwan became President of Plaid Cymru in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.plaidcymru.org/content.php?nID=107;lID=1 |title=Plaid Cymru website |access-date=18 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706081915/http://www.plaidcymru.org/content.php?nID=107;lID=1 |archive-date=6 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As part of his campaign seeking re-election as President of Plaid Cymru, Iwan launched a campaign blog ''Dafydd 4 President'' in July 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Bridge to the Future|url=http://www.dafydd4president.blogspot.co.uk/|website=Dafydd4president.blogspot.com|access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref>

On 22 October 2011, Dafydd and his wife Bethan came to watch the Welsh derby, [[Wrexham A.F.C.]] vs [[Newport County A.F.C.]] Dafydd sang his hit song "Yma O Hyd" in front of a crowd of 4,000 before the teams came out. He was invited to sing by the new Wrexham FC Supporters Group, who chose their name "Yma O Hyd" after his song.

In July 2023, Iwan was awarded an honorary degree from [[Bangor University]], in [[Bangor, Gwynedd]], for his "contribution to Welsh Culture, Language, Music and the Arts."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steve Backshall, Pauline Cutting, Dafydd Iwan among public figures to be honoured by Bangor University |url=https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/2023-07-03-steve-backshall-pauline-cutting-dafydd-iwan-among-public-figures-to-be-honoured-by |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Bangor University |language=en}}</ref>