With the Wrexham Eisteddfod in full flow, my thoughts are returning to last year’s National Eisteddfod, which was held in our home town, Pontypridd. I wrote a diary, which I am now sharing with you.
The National Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru was held in our town from 3rd to 10th August 2024. It’s the biggest cultural festival in Europe. Since we live just a short walk from the Maes, I am on a term-time only contract (so don’t work in the summer holidays) and can speak Welsh (although not fluently) I was like, “Sign me up!”
Dydd Sadwrn. Our town was ready and we were ready. I had put a Welsh flag in our window. I had walked down town the previous morning and noted that the new entrance to town on the site of the former bingo hall, opposite the station, was still not ready. I had every confidence that the council would pull it off in time, but they were cutting it fine. The work was completed at teatime on Friday evening and looked great. My husband and I decided to walk down the hill to soak up the atmosphere in town on the first day of the Eisteddfod. On entering the town, the Pontypridd BID gave us a map of the local businesses and my husband got a free hat. The town centre was surprisingly quiet. I think there had been so much talk of ‘traffic chaos’ that many local people had stayed away. (The traffic chaos never materialised). Nevertheless, the atmosphere was fantastic and our town looked wonderful. Shop windows were decorated; bunting and banners were everywhere; Clwb y Bont had an impressive new sign and the sun was shining. Nate Orr was playing by the fountain and I had a photo with a Welsh dragon outside The Principality BS.
We wanted to have a look around the newly refurbished Y Muni, but there was a performance ongoing, and we didn’t have tickets. However, I saw Dan who works at Y Muni, who let us in to have a look at the coffee shop and the mezzanine. I am looking forward to seeing the full transformation when I’ll be singing with the choir at the official Muni opening event in September.
After this, we went to St Catherine’s church where they had exhibitions and a Welsh service at 1pm on each day of the Eisteddfod. Before heading back up the hill, we enjoyed tea and welshcakes in their coffee shop.
Dydd Sul. I had put bunting up along the railings of our church building (Temple Chapel, Graig). We all enjoyed fresh welshcakes after the service. In the afternoon, my husband and I walked down to our allotment and our son visited us on his way back to Cardiff, where he lives.
Dydd Llun. What an incredible day! Arose early for my first day gwirfoddoli (volunteering). Arrived at the swyddfa stiwardio (stewarding office) at around 07:30. I introduced myself in Welsh and so it began: a whole day submersed in the Welsh language. I wore a Dysgwr (Learner) lanyard but said that I would prefer to speak and be spoken to in Welsh.
For the first hour and a half, my job was to hand out the green volunteer gilets. It was good to see Jake, a former student of the school where I work, turning up for his stewarding shift.
For the following 3 hours, I was stewarding in Y Lle Celf, the art exhibition. It was great to be able to have a good look round before the visitors arrived. I also had the benefit of the notes about the pieces in case visitors asked questions. I was stewarding alongside Ieuan Lewis who had two paintings in the exhibition, depicting the Welsh Not and the damage it did to the Welsh language in the past. Curiously, after I had introduced myself and it was clear that I am originally from England, Ieuan insisted on speaking to me in English. He was the only one during the entire day. My main role in Y Lle Celf, was to stand beside a steel sculpture with 2,800 loose nails, each representing a worker at the Port Talbot Steelworks. I quickly learned a new phrase: peidiwch a chyffwrdd (do not touch).
For the afternoon shift, I was manning Drws tri (door three) of the Pafiliwn, which is an impressive temporary auditorium where all the competitions take place. I was able to go up the stairs from time to time to see the magnificent stage where the performances were ongoing. The highlight of the afternoon was meeting the parents of the young woman who had made the crown for this year’s Eisteddfod.
My shift finished at 3pm but I hadn’t had chance to get lunch. I had a voucher for some lunch in the staff canteen. To get there, I had to go through the tent where all the druids and what-not were being gowned ready for the crowning ceremony. It was tremendous to see these folks up close preparing for a centuries-old tradition. The food in the staff canteen was grim (flavourless quiche, insipid chips and a sauce that was supposed to be mayonnaise but resembled runny PVA glue). Despite the food, I was very grateful for a sit-down and a cup of tea.
Walking through the Maes, I bumped into several people who I knew: a former teacher from our school with her family, Martha from Circus Skills when my children were young and a new friend who we had met just a week earlier.
After finally leaving the Maes and returning my steward’s gilet, I didn’t get home until 16:30. It had been the most amazing day, but I was utterly exhausted. I learned two things that day: I know a lot more Welsh than I thought I did and just how tiring it is speaking in a language all day that isn’t your mother tongue.
Dydd Mawrth. Another sunny day. Yn y bore, I walked down to Treforest to support Parc Arts’ Eisteddfod week activities. I enjoyed experiencing The Wordless Book and chatting with visitors. I met for the first time, Owen, a local Presbyterian minister, Robyn, originally from the USA and Ian and Jan from Witchurch, who were visiting the Eisteddfod each day.
Yn y prynhawn, I was singing with the Pontypridd Community Choir in the newly reopened Graig Community Centre. So many people turned up that the organisers had to borrow more chairs from The Rose and Crown! We sang our full set, wearing our blue and white choir colours: Myfanwy, Sospan Fach, Dros Gymru’n Gwlad, Migldi Magldi, Calon Lan, Dacw Nghariad and (of course) Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
Dydd Mercher. My second gwirfoddoli day: just an afternoon shift today. When I arrived to collect my stewarding gilet, the supervisor recognised me from Monday. She wouldn’t allow me to wear a Dysgwr lanyard again because she said it would be good for my hyder (confidence). I felt quite falch (proud). For this shift, I was on the top door of the YMa (the former YMCA, now transformed into an arts venue). There wasn’t much for me to do but I had the opportunity to see some arial acrobatics and a couple of performances in the centre. Lucy, Andrew (AKA Jeff Japers) and Hannah’s daughter, was performing there (she can do amazing things with a hula-hoop!)
Dydd Iau. The day our choir had been practising for for months: singing our full set on the big stage, Llwyfan y Maes and televised on S4C. Our son and his two housemates (one of whom is a first-language Welsh speaker, originally from Carmarthen) had bought tickets for the day so they could visit the Eisteddfod and see me singing with the choir. And the Pontypridd monsoon arrived the same day!
Yn y bore, we were singing on Mill Street. Fortunately, Zuccos Cafe had erected a small marquee which they allowed us to shelter in to sing. We then went en-masse onto the Maes. We were performing one song (Dacw) in the Encore tent at 1pm as part of the celebration of 40 years of Clwb y Bont. (Our weekly practice is on Monday evening in Clwb y Bont). Bethan Nia played the harp, performing a beautiful song about Pontypridd, her love. By this time, we were already soaked through and the ground was so wet, that we were standing in puddles in the tent.
We were scheduled to sing on the Llwyfan y Maes at 2pm but, sadly, the stage had been closed for health and safety due to the relentless, torrential rain. In true Pontypridd Community Choir spirit, our leader Jess, lead us under the big picnic canopy opposite the stage. So, we sang our full set, acapella, to an unsuspecting audience of people eating their sandwiches. It wasn’t what we had expected, but it was magical nonetheless.
Our day was topped off with our son and his friends coming up to our house for dinner. A truly unforgettable day.
Dydd Gwener. I was fortunate to be one of the 50 graduates who got a ticket to the Eisteddfod from the University of South Wales Alumni (it was called the University of Glamorgan when I graduated). The Alumni reception wasn’t until 1pm so I headed onto the Maes at 09:30 for a proper look round all the stalls and stands. Although the sun had returned, the ground was still very soggy, so I wore my wellies with my blue and yellow dress (the colours of the University of Glamorgan).
I don’t know how many people were on the Maes, but it was absolutely packed! I bumped into several people who I knew, including my friend and colleague from school, Rhian.
The Alumni Reception was quite good. There was a short talk from the alumni person, a former student and the vice president. This was followed by a rather mediocre buffet, but it was free and I got to meet four fellow alumni and hear their stories, so I can’t complain.
Although Adrian can’t speak Welsh, we agreed that we couldn’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity of the National Eisteddfod being in our town. My husband joined me on the Maes at around 3:30pm. We had a good look round the stalls and stands and took a few photo opportunities. In Y Lle Celf, I explained Angharad Pierce Jones’s winning piece ‘On which side of the fence are you?’ and the other pieces of interest.
We saw the 2024 Eisteddfod Crown and the Gilbern Invader, a car manufactured in Pontypridd in the 1960s. We watched an acrobatics display and enjoyed live music in the Maes B tent.
For dinner, we snook off the Maes to pop into Spoons, where we met some people from Aberystwyth. They commented on the lovely welcome they had received from the people of Pontypridd and that it had been one of the best Eisteddfods they had attended.
At 7pm, we headed to the museum for Clwb Comedy, where our friend, Jeff Japers was performing. We were very impressed by Jeff’s Welsh skills (since he’s from Glossop). We didn’t stay until the end because we had to be back on the Maes before 9pm, the cut-off time for re-entry.
Experiencing the Maes, our park, alive with music, thousands of people enjoying themselves and seeing the bandstand lit up was simply magical. We bought some drinks in the souvenir ‘Eisteddfod – Iechyd Da’ cups and tried to take it all in, to hold onto that moment for as long as possible.
When we arrived home, I had clocked up more than 30,000 steps. I hit the pillow with a smile on my face.
Dydd Sadwrn – y diwrnod olaf. I headed down town at around 2pm. Despite the light rain, town was busy. There was a guy at the top of town, calling out, selling Welsh flags from a shopping trolley. I said, “No thank you. I already have one.” to which he replied, “But you haven’t got a stolen one!” Only in Ponty!
There was a guy singing (in English) and playing guitar under a gazebo. In front of him was an older guy wearing black trousers, bare feet, a Welsh flag kilt, heart-shaped sunglasses and a Shaun the sheep bag hanging from his belt. He was performing the strangest dance and gaining quite a crowd. I don’t think the singer and this strange dancer were even together.
Just round the corner, at the top of Mill Street, was an old woman sitting on a low stool making and selling Welsh themed needlework and appliqué. I had a quick look round the Welsh market on the square but nothing took my fancy.
By now, the rain was easing so I walked up Taff Street, over the Old Bridge, along Berw Road and back along Gelliwastad Road. Everywhere, the bunting, banners and flags were simply delightful.
After this, we met our friends from Dinas Powys, who had come up for the final day of the Eisteddfod. We caught up over a cuppa and welshcake in St Catherine’s.
In the 35 years that I have lived in Pontypridd, the National Eisteddfod is by far the best thing that has happened in and for our town. As we all return to our regular routines, my hope is that our town and communities will be forever changed for the better.
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