Wales' most famous English language poet Dylan Thomas was born in the affluent area of Uplands, Swansea in 1914. The son of an English Literature teacher and a seamstress, Thomas became a celebrated and critically acclaimed writer and poet before his life was cut tragically short after contracting pneumonia while working in New York.
Dead at the relatively young age of 39, Thomas left behind a sizeable literary legacy including a series of outstanding poems and plays. Now visitors to Swansea can visit his familiar hometown haunts, which invariably for a man that had a fondness for drink includes many a public house. Not all the establishments that he frequented still stand as some were bombed out of existence during a World War II Blitz in 1941 and others have changed their primary business use.
However, it is still possible to imbibe an alcoholic beverage and toast Thomas' memory in Swansea's oldest pub, The No Sign Bar; one of his favourite haunts now known as the No Sign Wine Bar. Located in Wind Street the bar was established in 1690 and despite several renovations since the time of Thomas still maintains the essence of its historic character.
Another of Thomas' oft-frequented haunts was the Kardomah Cafe - the place to be seen if you considered yourself an artist of any kind. The original cafe with which Thomas was familiar was razed to the ground during the Blitz and re-built in nearby Park Street where it still operates today.
Thomas was also a regular drinker in Swansea hotels such as the Antelope and The Mermaid based in The Mumbles, which indirectly led to his resignation as a junior local reporter on the South Wales Daily Post at the tender age of 18. It transpired that his fondness for drink was in direct proportion to his indifference for accurate reporting and a parting of the ways with his employer had become inevitable.
Away from the pub tour and for real fans, the Dylan Thomas Centre in Somerset Place, Swansea offers regular lectures and talks on the writer's life and works and also features a 'Dylan Thomas: Man and Myth' exhibition, where experts are on hand to answer any questions visitors may pose.
Dylan's final residence in Swansea was the Bush Inn, where he stayed in October 1953 before heading to London and onwards to New York and premature death. This establishment still stands on The High Street but has been extensively redeveloped since Thomas' stay.
What Dylan would make of anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps is anybody's guess, but don't let that stop you tracking down one of Swansea's most famous residents.