Vale success as curtain falls on Eisteddfod

Aled Llywelyn

The curtain has come down on the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd - and a successful week for performers from the Vale of Glamorgan.

A busy week in the main Pavilion saw Manon Ogwen Parry win the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize on Thursday.

The Penarth soprano also won a solo competition for 19-25 year olds and took third place in the W Towyn Roberts Scholarship.

The week also saw pupils from Ysgol Bro Morgannwg in Barry win the open vocal ensemble competition (3-6 members) while the Vale-based Côr Heol y March took first prize in the Youth Choir competition.

One of its members, Leisa Roberts from Cowbridge, followed up her recent success in Bro Radio's 'Seren y Fro' competition - and her appearance at GlastonBarry Juniors - by winning the solo competition for under 12s.

Côr Bryn Owain were runners-up in the popular new competition for first-time choirs entering the Eisteddfod and Mairwen Thomas from Penarth was winner of the solo dance competition for over 12s.

The Brifwyl also saw a local historian from Rhoose inducted into the Gorsedd.

Sian Rhiannon, who is originally from the Rhymney Valley, worked in teaching and radio, before spending most of her career as a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

She is an expert on the history of Wales and has published extensively on the history of the Welsh language, education and women's history - and is also active within a number of organisations such as Llafur, the Purple Plaques and the Welsh Women's Archive. She was awarded the green robes ('Gwisg Werdd') for her services to the arts.

Among the other inductees was Noel Thomas, a sub-postmaster from Gaerwen, Anglesey, who was wrongly jailed in the Horizon Post Office scandal in 2006, before his conviction was quashed fifteen years later.

An emotional Mr Thomas was given a standing ovation in the Pavilion as he recieved the 'gwisg las' (blue robes).

Among the highlights on the last day of the festival, Dame Sian Phillips paid a special visit to Y Babell Len (The Literary Pavilion).

A near capacity crowd - which included actor Michael Sheen - was treated to an hour-long audience with the veteran actress, who last visited the Eisteddfod when it was held in Powys in 2015.

The 91 year-old also recited the poem 'Baled y Pedwar Brenin' by Cynan - a piece she also recited in 1945 when she won an Eisteddfod competition in Rhosllannerchrugog, near Wrexham.

She told the audience she had also won the same competition the previous year when the Eisteddfod was held at Llandybie, less than 10 miles from her home in Gwauncaegurwen.

"My mother and I left home early and she brought along a flask of tea and plenty of tomato sandwiches which is what we ate all day.", she said. 

"I got through the prelims and then onto the stage. There were more people than I'd ever seen and I can still remember the smell of newly cut grass and the wood used to create the stage."

For many, one of the big highlights of the week saw legendary all-girl group Eden perform the closing Llwyfan y Maes concert in front of thousands at Ynysangharad Park.

The pop trio, featuring Emma Walford - who lives in Cowbridge - released their first album in over 25 years, 'Heddiw', earlier this year amid much critical acclaim.

They have also launched the 'PABO' initiative - so called after one of their best known songs, Paid a Bod Ofn ('Don't Be Afraid') in an effort to learn and understand all aspects of being human.

Over 160,000 visitors were expected during the week in Pontypridd with organisers encouraging people to leave the car at home and use public transport to attend the festival - with more than 50,000 people making use of regular train services to and from the town.

Next year sees the National Eisteddfod return to Wrexham, where it was last held in 2011.

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