In Memory of Margaret Rose Isaac (1933–2025)

Margaret Rose Isaac, who passed away in August 2025 at the age of 92, was a beloved Welsh folklorist, author, educator, and cultural guardian.

Though associated with Caerleon, she was born in Tir-y-Berth near Hengoed, and rose from a working-class mining village to become a leading light in Welsh folklore.

From the age of three, she was known to teach other children, an early sign of her lifelong gift for storytelling and explanation.

Margaret was educated at Bargoed Grammar School, where the motto Tua’r Goleuni- “Towards the Light”- seemed less a slogan and more a quiet prophecy. It echoed through her life as she pursued knowledge, creativity, and cultural preservation with determination and love of knowledge.

Speaking about her wartime schooling she once told the Argus: “I loved school. It was a delight. The teachers were young, enthusiastic and straight out of college.”

Her guiding light led her to Cardiff University, where she studied English Literature and laid the foundations for a lifetime of storytelling, scholarship, and inspiration.

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She taught English at Croesyceiliog Grammar........

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