**Welsh Tribute Tattoo Goes Awry: Son’s Heartfelt Gesture Turns into Humorous Blunder**
A Welshman’s attempt to pay tribute to his mother through a meaningful tattoo backfired in an unexpectedly humorous way, after an unfortunate spelling mistake went unnoticed until it was too late. Cai Morgan, a 24-year-old Welsh speaker originally from Hirwaun, decided to immortalise a word cherished by his family – but what should have been a proud display of language and sentiment ended up as an amusing linguistic mishap.
For Cai and his family, the word “Ymlaen” – meaning “forward” in Welsh, or loosely, “onwards and upwards” – has long been a source of encouragement during both challenging and joyful times. The phrase was widely used by his parents to uplift spirits and commend success, making it an obvious choice for a tribute tattoo. Intent on capturing this special sentiment, Cai provided the correct spelling to his tattoo artist ahead of the appointment.
However, during the tattoo session in East Sussex, a mix-up occurred when an English-speaking artist inadvertently rearranged the letters to create “YMAELN” instead of “YMLAEN”. As any Welsh speaker would note, the new word is meaningless and doesn’t carry any of the intended significance. Despite the large size and prominent placement of the tattoo on his arm, Cai failed to spot the error straight away.
It wasn’t until he proudly sent a picture of his new ink to his sister, Lowri, that the mistake was discovered. “After I left the shop, I sent a picture of it to my sister just to show how cool it was,” Cai explained. “Then she was texting me, ‘Cai, Cai, you’ve spelled it wrong.’” Her sharp eye quickly brought the blunder to Cai’s attention, turning his excitement into disbelief.
Rather than let the error ruin the moment, Cai and his family found reasons to laugh about it. Speaking of his reaction, Cai said: “I was absolutely flabbergasted. I was just laughing and smiling, Facetiming my sister with my hand over my mouth.” When he revealed the tattoo to his mother, she was initially touched by the sentiment. Yet, upon noticing the misspelling herself, even she couldn’t help but join in the laughter.
The incident carries a deeper emotional significance given that Cai’s father, a devoted Welsh speaker, passed away last year. “It was very sentimental as my dad was very patriotic, a fluent Welsh speaker, who passed away last year. Him and my mam would always drill the ‘Ymlaen’ mantra into me,” Cai said. Reflecting on the mishap, he added, “He would be laughing his head off seeing it.”
As news of the tattoo spread, Cai received a wave of supportive and sympathetic messages. It became a talking point among friends and family, highlighting how even the most well-intentioned plans can go awry. Many see it as a light-hearted reminder that mistakes are part of life – and sometimes, embracing them is the best course forward.
Upon learning of the error, the tattoo artist offered to retouch the design once it had been lasered off. Yet, Cai is now contemplating keeping the tattoo as it is, considering its unintended symbolism. “I might move on, embrace the irony of it,” he mulled. “Considering it means move forward, it shows we make mistakes, we move forward.”
In a world where tattoos can symbolise both triumphs and tribulations, Cai’s story serves as a humorous reminder of the unpredictability of life – and the importance of carrying on, even in the face of minor blunders. Whether the tattoo is eventually corrected or remains as a permanent mark of this chapter, it’s clear that the experience has further united Cai and his family in laughter and fond remembrance.