Today, (23 March) marks an important milestone in the countdown to the 2012 National Eisteddfod – there’s only 500 days to go before Europe’s largest travelling festival comes to the Vale of Glamorgan.
Held on the site of the old airfield at Llandow, the Vale of Glamorgan National Eisteddfod will attract 150,000 – 160,000 visitors during eight days, from 4-11 August next year.
Local committees are already hard at work across the Vale, raising awareness and organising fundraising events. The first ‘official’ event associated with the festival takes place in Barry on Saturday 25 June, the Proclamation Festival and Ceremony, giving local people and visitors alike a chance to enjoy a flavour of the festival, and a taste of what’s to come next year when the Eisteddfod is held locally.
According to tradition the intention to stage an Eisteddfod must be announced at least one year and a day before the actual Eisteddfod. The Gorsedd of the Bards along with representatives from local schools, institutions and societies will march through the town centre on their way to the proclamation ceremony which will be held at the Memorial Gardens in Barry.
The Vale of Glamorgan’s link with the Gorsedd of the Bards is of course a strong one The Gorsedd of Bards is an association whose members consists of poets, writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a distinguished contribution to the Welsh nation. It also includes many well known figures in Welsh life such as actors Ioan Gruffydd and Mathew Rhys, rugby players Gareth Edwards and Ieuan Evans, cricketer Robert Croft, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, Opera Star Bryn Terfel and broadcaster Angharad Mair, to name only a few. The Gorsedd members are knows as Druids, although it must be stressed that there is no connection between the association and druidism as a religion.
The Gorsedd of the Bards was the creative invention of Iolo Morganwg, raised in Flemingstone, Vale of Glamorgan, one of Wales’ most famous and eccentric scholars. He felt that it should be made known that the Welsh were the direct descendants of Celtic culture and heritage. Iolo Morgannwg went as far as to link the Welsh with the ancient druids who were the guardians of the Celtic Civilisations before the Romans and the Saxons came to Britain. He was even known to have forged documents in a bid to substantiate his claims.
The Gorsedd of Bards of the Isle of Britain first came together in 1792, not in Wales as you might expect, but on Primrose Hill in London. It made its first appearance at the Eisteddfod in Carmarthen in 1819, and from the time that the National Eisteddfod in its current form was created in 1861 in Aberdare, the Gorsedd’s close association with the Festival has remained. Nowadays, an Eisteddfod without the Gorsedd of Bards would be unthinkable.
A prominent part will also be played by girls from numerous Vale of Glamorgan Schools when they perform the Flower Dance for the first time. Following an open audition 32 girls aged 8 – 10 were chosen from schools all across the Vale to perform the dance and will soon commence rehearsals under the supervision of Anne Hughes and Rhian James who will tutor the dance.
During the ceremony, the first copy of the List of Competitions will be presented to the Archdruid T. James Jones by the Chair of the local Executive Committee, Dylan Jones, and once the list has been presented, its contents is made public, and the work of preparing for the competitions can start. It’s a colourful and dignified way of showcasing the Eisteddfod and increasing awareness about what will take place in the Vale of Glamorgan area in 500 days time.
If you’d like to get involved with preparations for the 2012 National Eisteddfod, contact the office on 0845 4090 300 or send them an email – [email protected]. For more information go to www.eisteddfod.org.uk.
