Mwy o'r Maes - Llun Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru

-Despite the rain, thousands

-came to enjoy the Monday

-of the National Eisteddfod in

-Abergavenny.

-You needed an umbrella,

-but if you came prepared

-wearing suitable clothing,

-it was as enjoyable as ever.

-Some loved the conditions,

-while others had a more tiring day.

-Good evening.

-What a day!

-There was a crowning on the Maes

-in Monmouthshire today and tonight

-we are congratulating Elinor Gwyn.

-we are congratulating Elinor Gwynn.

-A lot of people look forward

-to the Monday of the Eisteddfod

-with the Gorsedd in all its glory,

-and there are plenty

-of competitions, as well.

-Sit back for the next hour and enjoy

-the highlights in our company.

-we'll be entertained

-by the youngest singers.

-Also, prepare for a concert

-from instrumentalists

-of the highest standard.

-And in Y Ty Gwerin,

-we'll have a celebration

-of the fiddle, before analysing

-the Crown-winning piece.

-On Monday morning, it is the turn

-of the young performers to shine.

-The first competition

-in the Pavilion at 10am this

-morning was the Solo

-Recitation For Those Under 12.

-Who was awarded first place?

-Lowri Jones leads us

-through the results.

-The set piece was Un Bach Mewn Ciw

-Hir by Myrddin ap Dafydd.

-In third place, Gwennan

-Hopkins from Cardiff.

-I'm quickly melting

-in the summer sun

-In the ice-cream queue

-at the Eisteddfod

-The pound coin is burning in my hand

-The stallholder looks over

-And hands over a double

-scoop of vanilla

-To a tall, hairy, ugly gorilla!

-In second place, Peredur Hedd

-Llywelyn from Llandysul.

-I'm only a short,

-insignificant child

-Who can't quite reach the counter

-I've been here almost all afternoon

-And damn it!

-Here's the Cerdd Dant party

-They have 20 between them!

-What an appetite!

-Hello, my name's Jac and I came

-first in the Solo Recitation

-competition with Un Bach Mewn Ciw

-Mawr.

-I was really frightened

-about going onstage.

-Finally, the man spies my pound coin

-After the rest of the crowd have

-dispersed

-"Choc-mint

-with a flake, please."

-"Sorry, love, I'm all

-out of ice cream."

-Yes, congratulations to Jac.

-On now to the Solo

-For Those Under 12.

-In third place, Guto

-Jenkins from Cardigan.

-# Through the fields,

-the crystal rill

-# Flows to the sea

-with constant will

-# Day by day it sings to me

-# As it hurries over the lea #

-The adjudicators place Alwen Mair

-Owen from Llanllwni second.

-# On it goes while I'm asleep

-# On it goes through darkness deep

-# On through summer heat it flows

-# Till away from sight it goes #

-And taking first place, Ioan Joshua

-Mabbutt from Aberystwyth.

-# Through the fields

-for home it makes

-# Ere the ice its freedom takes

-# I will with it run a race

-# And its waters will chase #

-My name is Ioan.

-I won the Solo For Those Under 12.

-It was worth all the hard work.

-I'm really happy.

-Congratulations to the

-young performers.

-When it comes to

-the instrumentalists,

-the audience in the Pavilion

-have a feast of delights.

-We often receive a glimpse of future

-porfessional artists.

-The standard is always very high.

-Before the year's Blue Riband

-competition, we'll head over

-to the instrumental duets.

-competition of the day,

-the Instrumental Duet,

-Rowenna and Georgina

-from Abergavenny came second

-with their duet on the saxophone

-and the flute.

-with pieces by Debussy and Dvorak

-on the harp and flute,

-Anwen and Lleucu.

-to the main instrumental

-competition of the day,

-the Instrumental Blue Riband.

-Historically, the competition has

-always been of a very high standard.

-And before things began to heat up

-onstage, I had a chat

-with a previous winner.

-Steffan Morris, winner

-of the Instrumental Blue Riband over

-19 years of age in 2014.

-Let's focus on the youngest

-competitors, those aged under 16.

-Everyone says the standard

-is always high.

-Is that true?

-Yes, it's very true.

-The standard is always fantastic.

-A lot of people compete

-in the Blue Riband and it's

-a fantastic tradition.

-Out of the five competitions held

-in the Pagoda, brass, harp, etc,

-only four reach the Pavilion.

-There have been many complaints over

-the years about that.

-What's your opinion?

-Well, it's a shame.

-The Pagoda isn't ideal.

-It's very noisy there,

-if it's raining,

-the wind's whistling.

-People don't always hear the little

-nuances we have been practising.

-It's a great shame

-that we lose that.

-And maybe ever moreso this year,

-with the concert hall here.

-Yes, it's much better this year.

-I've already played on the stage.

-The sound is much better.

-It wasn't always great

-in the old Pavilion,

-but it's a nicer place to play now.

-So it's even more of a shame that

-we're missing out.

-And for the winner, how much

-of a boost will it be?

-How much of a boost was it for you?

-The Eisteddfod is fantastic.

-It gives you so much confidence.

-People always comment that Welsh

-people are very confident

-from a young age and that is why,

-because of the Eisteddfod

-and growing up in that system.

-It's so important to perform

-regularly to gain confidence.

-Riband For Those under 16

-was Eirlys Lovell-Jones

-from Cardiff.

-pieces by Rachmaninoff

-and Debussy was Tomos Boyles.

-with her recital on the cornet.

-was Serenni Morgan from Llanishen.

-the winner of the Instrumental Blue

-Riband for those aged under 16

-is Ela Haf Williams.

-I didn't expect that at all.

-I'm so happy.

-I won at the Urdd

-Eisteddfod in 2014.

-And last Sunday, we won

-with Deiniolen Silver Band.

-for young reciters.

-We'll go to the world

-of Cerdd Dant and hear a few

-Alaw Werin performances.

-and I'm here today on the Eisteddfod

-Maes to be accepted into the Gorsedd

-after winning the Lady Herbert

-Lewis prize last year

-at the Maldwyn Eisteddfod.

-I've chosen Gwyfan as my Gorsedd

-name because I come from a small

-village called Llangwyfan

-in Denbighshire and my father's

-middle name is Gwyfan.

-What I really enjoy

-about the Eisteddfod

-are the competitions.

-I've been competing for many years

-at the National Eisteddfod.

-It's an opportunity

-to make new friends and it

-provides wonderful opportunities.

-So I'm very grateful

-to the Eisteddfod.

-the performances, the presentations

-and seminars, you need to get

-organized at the beginning of a week

-like this as you read

-through the programme to create some

-kind of specific timetable

-as you go from tent to tent.

-The Children's Poet Laureate has

-to be organized.

-Hello, Anni.

-How are you?

-Are you organized

-as you go from place

-to place?

-Yes.

-I've got a little diary and my phone

-to keep on top of things.

-And what's happening next?

-Today I'm in the Lolfa Len and we're

-having a rhyming eisteddfod.

-With the children as part

-of your role?

-Yes, as Children's Poet Laureate.

-It will be a lot of fun.

-Has there been much interest?

-Yes and tonight I'll

-be going to

-the glamping site.

-Posh!

-Yes and we'll be having some

-fun there with poetry.

-There's plenty to do all week

-and I'm really looking forward

-to the Stomp Fach on Thursday.

-The Stomp is popular, isn't it?

-So is that children

-competing?

-No.

-Experienced poets will be competing,

-but it will be children

-in the audience and they'll

-decide who goes through

-the round and who wins.

-So it's more pressure

-than any other poetry competition.

-And there will be a proper

-Stomp as well.

-Yes.

-I'm competing in the Cerdd Dant

-Stomp for the first time.

-Not for children.

-It says "Unsuitable

-For Children" on the poster.

-Does it?

-Yes.

-But it's very popular.

-I'm hoping to come over and see it.

-Last year i was standing on a bale

-of hay outside looking in on them.

-I'll be in a better place this year.

-And what about the Maes

-and the Eisteddfod in general?

-It's wonderful.

-It's large and long so it takes time

-to walk from one end to the other,

-but it's wonderful.

-You're very busy.

-Yes.

-I have to go now.

-Enjoy your week.

-Bye, Anni.

-under the age of 12

-the set piece was 'Y Pedwar Tymor'.

-The first to compete

-on the stage was Zara Evans

-from Tregaron, Ceredigion.

-# The woods in springtime

-# A fresh new green

-# A lush green

-# She's a young girl.#

-# She's a young girl #

-Second to perform was Elain Rhys

-Iorwerth from Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd.

-# The woods in summertime

-# She's becoming a beautiful girl

-# Growing into an adult

-# Her skirt is a dark green.#

-# Her skirt is a dark green #

-And Siwan Mair Jones

-from Ysgol Y Dderwen

-in Carmarthen closed the

-competition.

-# The woods in the autumn

-# Her trees are multicoloured

-# Red, purple, brown and orange

-# Reaching middle age #

-The first prize today

-goes to Zara Evans.

-Hello, I'm Zara and I

-like the Eisteddfod.

-I was fortunate to win

-the Cerdd Dant Solo

-at the National Eisteddfod today.

-# As white as January snow

-# And old lady in

-a white nightdress #

-'Y Ddafad Gorniog' was the set piece

-in the Folk Song Solo

-for those under 12.

-Osian Trefor Hughes

-from Deiniolen was third.

-# I have a horned sheep

-# With a pound of wool on its back

-# Grazing by the riverside

-# Amongst the little stones

-# But a bailiff came by

-# Sending his dog after her

-# I never saw my sheep

-# Did you I wonder?

-Lwsi Roberts

-from Meifod was second.

-# I saw her in Bala

-# Having just sold her wool

-# Sitting in her chair

-# In front of a roaring fire

-# With her pipe and her tobacco

-# Smoking ably away

-# And that's where my sheep is

-# Good morrow John how dee?

-And in first place,

-Lowri Anest Jarman from

-Llanuwchllyn.

-# I have a hen sitting

-# On top of Penmaen Mawr

-# I went to the foot

-of Snowdon

-# To call her down

-# She flew and she flew

-# Taking her chicks with her

-# All the way to Ireland

-# Good morrow John how dee?

-Hello.

-I'm Lowri and I've just won

-first prize.

-Yippee!

-under 12, there was then a chance

-for performers a little bit older

-to have a chance to

-shine in the Pavilion.

-get into the boat and go on ahead

-of him to the other side,

-while he dismissed the crowd.

-After he had dismissed them,

-he went up on a mountainside

-by himself to pray.

-Later that night, he was there

-alone, and the boat was already

-a considerable distance from land,

-buffeted by the waves

-because the wind was against it.

-Shortly before dawn Jesus went out

-to them, walking on the lake.

-When the disciples saw him

-walking on the lake,

-they were terrified.

-"It's a ghost" they said,

-and cried out in fear.

-But Jesus immediately said

-to them,

-"Take courage!"

-"It is I.

-"Don't be afraid."

-"Lord, if it's you."

-Peter replied,

-"Tell me to come

-to you on the water."

-Immediately Jesus reached

-out his hand and caught him.

-"You of little faith," he said,

-"why did you doubt?"

-And when they climbed into the boat,

-the wind died down.

-Then those who were in the boat

-worshiped him, saying,

-"Truly you are the Son of God."

-We have to stand up for her

-Draw attention to her

-problems on posters

-Suffer the monoglot English adverts.

-And all to be treated equally.

-We have to play a game

-Of discovering Welsh speakers

-In the unlikeliest corners,

-who often don't stand out.

-We have to visit shops

-And see the Welsh in smallprint

-(if at all)

-Beneath the lines

-of English

-Because two have

-complained

-that it's there at all

-And they couldn't find their Flora.

-And all to be treated equally.

-We listen to comments

-about our vibrant language

-That it's not as important

-as European languages

-And that it can't be used on holiday

-We have to phone managers

-And send

-letters which are never answered

-We have to snarl, threaten

-Sometimes swear

-Smile, laugh and keep

-asking the question

-like a broken record

-When a shop

-is renovated

-And does not use the language

-of our forefathers

-On their brand new signs.

-To be equal one day

-In our own country.

-forward to the celebrating

-the new Archdruid.

-We will also be analysing

-the Crown-winning piece before

-being enchanted by performances

-from the instrumentalists.

-Welcome back.

-On Monday, here at the Eisteddfod

-in Abergavenny, there

-was an opportunity for the first

-time to see and enjoy one of the

-oldest traditions of the festival.

-The Gorsedd was established back

-in 1792 by Iolo Morganwg.

-He began the traditions that

-are still honoured today.

-The robes are an integral

-part of the pageant.

-It was wonderful to see

-everyone in their full

-splendour on the Maes today.

-year's Crowning ceremony.

-It's one of three ceremonies for

-which the Gorsedd take to the stage.

-And, yes, the crown was awarded

-to a worthy winner.

-This year's beautiful crown was made

-by local artist, Deborah Edwards.

-the Crown this year.

-Thank you all for letting us

-see your work and take a look at

-your thoughts and feelings.

-A sign of a good

-collection, a quality

-collection, is that it is difficult

-to decide which lines to quote.

-But I do not have

-to worry as it is a

-pleasure to announce that the three

-of us agreed that Carreg Lefn

-deserves the Crown at

-this year's Eisteddfod.

-who is Carreg Lefn?

-Some of you will surely know her.

-She is from Rhostryfan.

-Elinor Gwynn lives.

-Yes, she is here.

-Let us go back to the halfway mark

-Or the three quarter mark, perhaps.

-Back further than

-where the green path

-With its satin elegance

-beneath our feet

-And the stone walls sustained us.

-Back to that scrag of land

-Where footfall had worn

-a smooth knot over the years

-Where it was starting to fall apart,

-Into clean furrows between

-the clumps of thorn bushes.

-Their branches muffled the noise

-from the cross-winds

-Distorting them into

-bedraggled rags around us.

-that we are lucky

-in Wales to be able

-to present our work

-and receive criticism

-and have

-our work analysed.

-That is something wonderful.

-You have competed in the past

-and have benefited from that.

-Yes, certainly.

-I remember the first time that

-I tried for the Crown, one

-judge put me in third place, another

-in second and another in the first

-group.

-And it is clear from the

-adjudication that your background,

-the environment and travelling, has

-influenced the work.

-Yes, but it is not

-just a poem about the

-environment.

-That is what I thought I would write

-but it does describe a

-journey but it is a journey

-through intense experiences.

-It is similar to going for a walk.

-When you go for a walk,

-you will see the various

-scenes and views and

-have various thoughts.

-So there is an influence.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you very much.

-the winning piece of work

-in the company of poet Llyr Gwyn

-Lewis.

-What are your first impressions?

-Well I have only just

-seen this and in a way,

-it is hard to say straightaway.

-But listening to the judges,

-they said that they were poems that

-required a lot of readings.

-They are impressionistic poems

-and they are full of nature.

-Some of the poems require a lot

-of reading and analysing.

-But that is a good thing.

-There is a lot of depth and layers.

-One piece is almost

-like a short story in a poem.

-in a way.

-Obviously, she has a background

-in the environment and nature

-and that comes to the fore.

-Yes, certainly, that comes

-through all of the poems.

-I think good poems are abstract

-and tangible at the same time.

-And that is certainly

-what we get here.

-The subject was Paths

-and you have the Paths of nature

-and the Paths of life.

-And she manages to say that in far

-more original and striking ways.

-But I think that is what you have

-here, that personal

-journey through life.

-You have enjoyed them?

-Yes.

-from the band HMS Morris.

-We are at the Eisteddfod.

-I love coming to the Eisteddfod

-because you discover new bands

-and get to listen to bands you have

-not heared from for a long time.

-These are some of the bands that

-you can see over the next week.

-On Wednesday, head over

-to Maes B to see some

-of the best new bands.

-On Thursday night, if you are over

-25, head to see Eden

-at the Cymdeithas yr Iaith gig.

-But don't stay there too long

-because we will be in Maes B.

-happening in Maes D and there

-are Cymdeithas yr Iaith gigs.

-On Saturday, to finish it all,

-head over to Maes B.

-It'll be a great night.

-and to the singers aged 12-16.

-The set piece for the boys

-was The Ploughboy

-by Benjamin Britten.

-And the girls were asked to perform

-a piece by Michael Head,

-Hoff Ffawd a'm Denodd i o'm Dor.

-Securing third place,

-Glesni Rhys Jones from

-Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern,

-Anglesey.

-# Know all ye sheep

-# And cows that keep on staring

-# That I stand so long

-# In grass that's

-wet from heavy rain

-# A rainbow and a cuckoo's song

-# May never come together again

-# May never come

-this side the tomb.#

-A pupil from Ysgol Penweddig,

-Aberystyth, Beca Fflur

-Williams, came second.

-# A rainbow and a cuckoo's song

-# May never come together again

-# May never come

-this side the tomb.#

-And in first place this

-year, Siwan Hedd Mason

-from Ysgol David Hughes on Anglesey.

-Congratulations to her.

-# Know all ye sheep

-# And cows that keep on staring

-# That I stand so long

-# In grass that's

-wet from heavy rain

-# A rainbow and a cuckoo's song

-# May never come together again

-# May never come this side the tomb

-# A rainbow and a cuckoo's song

-# May never come together again.#

-# A rainbow and a cuckoo's song

-# May never come together again.#

-Onto the boys' competition next.

-Taking the bronze,

-Gronw Ifan Elis Griffith

-from Ysgol Glan y Mor in Pwllheli.

-# A flaxen-headed cowboy

-# A simple as may be

-# And next a merry ploughboy

-# I whistled over the lea

-# But now a saucy footman

-# I strut in worsted lace

-# And soon I'll be a butler

-# And whey my jolly face.#

-Taking the silver, Llyr Ifan Eirug

-from Ysgol Penweddig, Aberystwyth.

-# I'll buy votes at elections

-# And when I've made the pelf

-# I'll stand poll for the parliament

-# And then vote in myself

-# Whatever's good for me, sir

-# I never will oppose

-# When all my ayes are sold off

-# Why then I'll sell me noes.

-And gold goes to Caerwys courtesy

-of Tegid Goodman-Jones

-from Ysgol Glan Clwyd.

-# In court or city honour

-# So great a man I'll be

-# So great a man,

-so great a man, so great a man

-# I'll be

-# You'll forget the little ploughboy

-# Who whistled over the lea.#

-# You'll forget the little ploughboy

-What a performance!

-In the final part of the programme,

-there'll be a fiddler

-in Y Ty Gwerin, plus the Alaw Werin

-and Cerdd Dant soloist competitions.

-Welcome back to Abergavenny.

-We're heading over to one

-of the most popular places

-in the Eisteddfod, Y Ty Gwerin.

-It's always full to the brim.

-A shed full of musicians, Patrick.

-It must be a wonderful

-and unique experience?

-Yes, it's like being back

-in the youth orchestra

-among the violas.

-But the standard of the musicians

-is very high, I assume?

-Yes, we have some of the best

-musicians in Wales here so I'm

-looking forward to sharing

-the stage with them.

-looking forward to sharing

-So, who do we have here, then?

-There are loads of people.

-Stephen Rhys, Huw Bach,

-a lot of the younger generation that

-are coming through from Nantgarw.

-It's going to be great.

-And this area, Y Ty Gwerin,

-is very popular, isn't it?

-It's great.

-It's been full this morning

-and we've had a lot of fun.

-After this afternoon,

-you probably have a very busy week

-performing with Calan?

-Calan are here on Friday.

-We're doing a preview

-of the new album, which is

-coming out next year.

-I'm playing in Gwilym Bowen Rhys'

-album launch tomorrow, as well.

-The thing with the Eisteddfod is,

-once you get here, you end

-up playing non-stop.

-You get dragged into things.

-Yes.

-There's always time

-to jam around the Maes.

-Nantgarw take advantage

-of you, as well!

-And it's a chance to meet up

-with friends and so on.

-I hope so.

-There are many people

-here with their instruments, so I'm

-looking forward to it.

-From the Ty Gwerin, we'll

-return to the stage now

-to the Folk Song Solo.

-The set piece was Rew di Ranno.

-And in third place

-was Siwan Hedd Mason

-from Ysgol David Hughes on Anglesey.

-# Careless is the bird

-# He doesn't sow a single seed

-# He sings all year long

-# Without a care in the world

-# He sings all year long

-# He sings all year round

-# Dumli, dumli, dumli

-# Rew di rew di ranno

-# Without a care in the world

-# He sings all year round #

-And in second place,

-Beca Fflur Williams

-from Ysgol Penweddig,

-Aberystwyth.

-# He sits on the branch

-# Looking at his wings

-# Singing and being happy

-# Without a penny to his name

-# Singing and being happy

-# Dumli, dumli, dumli

-# Rew di rew di ranno

-# Without a penny to his name

-# Singing and being happy #

-And in first place, Mali Elyw

-Williams from Ysgol Glan Clwyd.

-# He'll eat supper tonight

-# He never knows

-where he'll find lunch

-# And lets God serve him

-# That's how he lives

-# Rew di ranno

-# And lets god serve him

-# Dumli, dumli, dumli

-# Rew di rew di ranno

-# That's how he lives

-# And lets God serve him #

-in the Cerdd Dant competition.

-In third place, Sophie Jones

-from Ysgol Ystlafera, Cwmtawe.

-The world is full of dandelion seeds

-Each a silk feather above the frost

-Spinning without a murmur

-The breeze upholds them

-The world is full

-of dandelion seeds.

-from Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Denbigh.

-# The world is full

-of clean soap bubbles

-# Some gleaming and some

-fiery little rainbows

-# They fill the air in its entirety

-# Completely masking

-the world's pollution

-of little soap bubbles #

-And taking the first

-prize was Llyr Ifan Eirug

-from Ysgol Penweddig,

-Aberystwyth.

-# The world is full

-of all kinds of stars

-# Some shine brightly

-while others are slovenly

-# While laughing through my tears

-I melt them all to pieces

-# The world is full,

-full of all kinds of stars #

-Congratulations to Lee nearby

-. It is wonderful to get the chance

-to sit back and enjoy these

-competitions. There are two more to

-come.

-in the Presentation Through Words,

-Song and Dance and Ysgol Gyfun

-Gwynllyw claimed the second prize.

-# Come in wealthy people

-and landowners

-# Come in and join in the feast

-# We will tonight share our wealth

-with you

-# We will celebrate our

-language and history

-# We'll give you the opportunity #

-place with their performance

-on the theme of Lady of Llanover

-yesterday, today and tomorrow,

-a group from Aelwyd yr

-Ynysb Bro Al and Adran Bro Alaw.

-# Yesterday is gone Today is ours

-# Tomorrow is not yet touched

-# The future is in our hands #

-is Leisa Gwenllian and I won

-the Recitation from the Scriptures

-and the Monologue today.

-It's been a wonderful experience

-to perform on the Eisteddfod

-stage and I'm very happy.

-It is Dad, Mam!

-He was in the car with me and

-we're fine.

-Mam.

-He's smiling.

-He's come through the fog too.

-Mam, why aren't you

-answering me?

-Mam?

-Well done to everyone who performed

-on the stage today. But today was

-Elinor Gwynn 's day. She took the

-Crown. And you can enjoy the

-victorious work on the website. And

-you can also watch the ceremony once

-again and look back at the

-competitions of the day. There is

-plenty more online. We will be back

-tomorrow with all the action from

-the Maes. And I will be back with

-the highlights. We leave you this

-evening with a performance but from

-all of us here, good night.