|
"....a unique celebration of Welsh language, culture and heritage"
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is held in South and North Wales in
alternate years. In 2002 it will be hosted in St. Davids,
Pembrokeshire - a 90 minute drive from our self catering holiday
cottages in the Swansea Valley.
The
Eisteddfod can properly be described as one of the oldest and largest
cultural festivals in Europe. It is a competitive festival seeking
to embrace all aspects of Welsh Culture, much of which lies rooted in
Celtic history. Even before the Celts had written language (which
they acquired in the sixth century) they exhibited a passion for
rhetoric, story telling and music.
Geraldus Cambrensis, writing in the late 12th century, noted with wonder
"that Welsh peasants living in primitive mud and wattle huts
displayed an astonishing sophistication in singing in harmony and in the
use of musical instruments such as the crwth, pibgorn, and telyn
(harp)". The latter was especially cherished.
Why not holiday at
our self catering cottages in the beautiful Swansea Valley during August
and visit the National Eisteddfod of Wales?
Welsh
is the official language of the festival and for non-Welsh speakers a
SIMULTANEOUS translation service is PROVIDED free of charge FOR
ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE MAIN PAVILION, AVAILABLE FROM THE INFORMATION
CENTRE.
'......escape to the
tranquility of the South Wales countryside and enjoy a unique
celebration of Welsh language, culture and heritage at the National
Eisteddfod of Wales.'
FACILITIES
FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AT THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD INCLUDE RAMPS TO ALL
ENTRANCES; ALLOCATED SPACES FOR WHEELCHAIRS WITHIN THE MAIN PAVILLION;
special toilets for disabled users; bus facilities for those with
walking difficulties - buses circulate the eisteddfod site all day with
bus stops at the information centre; theatre; literature pavillion; art
and crafts exhibition and the main pavillion.
'Plan your
dream holiday in Wales at walescottages.com
Luxury accommodation ideal for visiting the National Eisteddfod in South
Wales.'
The Gorsedd meet in public session to proclaim the following year's
Eisteddfod at least a year and a day in advance. They assemble
within a circle of massive stones arranged on the traditional
plan. "In the face of the sun - the eye of light" the
protection of God is invoked, in this Gorsedd prayer, intoned in Welsh
to the accompaniment of the harp:
Grant, O God thy protection,
And in protection strength,
And in strength understanding,
And in undestanding perception,
And in perception perception of righteousness,
And in perception of righteousness the love of it,
And in the love of it the love of all life.
And in all life love to God,
God and all goodness. |
WELSH HOLIDAY COTTAGES
Luxury Accommodation in Wales
SELF
CATERING HOLIDAY COTTAGES IN WALES
The National
Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod of Wales the largest travelling cultural
festival in Europe. It is held during one week in August every
year and visits North and South Wales in alternately. In 2002, St.
Davids in Pembrokeshire will host this unique event. Why
not book a relaxing holiday at our luxury self catering cottages in
South Wales and visit The National Eisteddfod? Our
cottages are a 90 minute drive from the 2002 site in St Davids.
|
Wales
Tourist Board Accredited Accommodation
USEFUL EISTEDDFOD LINKS
 NATIONAL
EISTEDDFOD OF WALESLLANGOLLEN
INTERNATIONAL EISTEDDFODURDD
GOBAITH CYMRU EISTEDDFOD
4-11 August 2001
Denbighshire and District
70,000 visitors
6,000 competitors
August 2002
St. Davids Pembrokeshire
VISIT WALES '.....two hours
and a million miles away'
The aim of the Gorsedd is to "ensure the co-operation of bards, men
of letters, musicians and the patrons of the fine arts, in order to enrich
bardism, lierature, music and art in Wales".
Various
attempts to change the way the Eisteddfod was organised and run took place
from the 10th century to 1880 when the National Eisteddfod Association was
formed with a responsibility for staging an annual festival, held
alternately in North and South Wales. With the exception of the
years 1914 and 1940 this responsibility has been successfully carried out.
walescottages.com
"I can't imagine that we could have come across a nicer place to stay
in the whole of Wales" Frank, Fiona, Jack and Joe, Republic of
Ireland
The
focal point of the Eisteddfod is a 5000 seat pavillion, where the
competitions in music, dance and the spoken word take place. The
theatre, arts and craft, literature, science and technology, Welsh
learning and the Youth are catered for in smaller Pavillions.
Wales has other
Eisteddfodau, including the Urdd
National Eisteddfod (for the youth of Wales) and the International
Musical Eisteddfod - which is held each July in the town of Llangollen
in North Wales. The first International Musical Eisteddfod was held
in 1947, with the aim of promoting peace between nations after the
war-torn years on 1939-45, through the international language of
music. The week long Eisteddfod attracts 2,500 competitors from over
40 countries. In addition to the daily music, singing and dancing
competitions, gala concerts are performed in the evenings.
|
THE NATIONAL
EISTEDDFOD AND GORSEDD OF WALES
The Eisteddfod (which literally means a
sitting or gathering) evolved from bardic tournaments which, tradition
tells us, began in the reign of Hywel Ddu in the 10th century.
The earliest recorded contest of poets and musicians was held in
Cardigan Castle, in 1176, under the auspices of Lord Rhys. A chair
at the Lord's table was awarded to the best poet and musician, a
tradition that prevails in the modern day National Eisteddfod.
Thereafter there is no record of contests until the 15th and 16th
centuries. In 1568, an Eisteddfod was held in Caerwys, at which
the following prizes were awarded: a minature silver chair to the
successful poet, a little silver 'crwth' to the winning fiddler, a
silver toungue to the best singer, and a tiny silver harp to the
champion harpist. This harp, only 6 inches in height, is a
treasured survivor and reminder of those early attempts to encourage the
advancement of the art and practice of music and poetry. Indeed,
1568 was an important milestone in the Eisteddfod's development as it
regulated the patronage system and graded poets and musicians according
to rank and status.
Originally, the contests were limited to professional bards whose
services were paid for by the noble families who kept them. As
time went by, the gentry and noblemen became more and more English, and
less and less interested in the Welsh arts. This deterioration in
standard was halted largely due to the vision of Thomas Jones of Corwen,
who invited the public to an eisteddfod for the first time at Corwen in
1789. This eisteddfod was a great success and led to a revival of
interest in literature and music.
In 1792, Iolo Morganwg (bardic name of Edward Williams), one of Wales's
most famous and eccentric scholars formed 'The Gorsedd of Bards of the
Isle of Britain' (Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain), as he felt that it
should be known that the Welsh were the direct descendants of Celtic
culture and heritage i.e. that the bardic tradition in South Wales was
Druidic in origin. He originally intended for the Gorsedd to
supplant the Eisteddfod. He failed, and the two institutions were
merged, the Gorsedd holding the right of proclamation and
government. The Gorsedd made its first appearance at the
Eisteddfod in the Ivy Bush Inn Carmarthen in 1819. The first
National Eisteddfod as we recognise it today was held at Aberdare in Mid
Glamorgan in 1861. In 1880 the National Eisteddfod Association was
formed and charged with responsibility of staging an annual festival.
To this day, The Gorsedd of Bards exercises an important influence on
the control of the National Eisteddfod as its members form the greater
part of the membership of the National Eisteddfod Council.
The Gorsedd of Bards is an association whose members consist of poets,
writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a
distinguished contribution to the Welsh nation, language and culture
(e.g. opera star Bryn Terfel, England cricketer Robert Croft, ex-Welsh
rugby star Gareth Edwards).
Membership of the Gorsedd is normally by examination. A knowledge
of Welsh is, of course, an essential qualification, even for honorary
membership, except for distinguished foreign artists and visitors whom
Wales wishes to honour. The first grade in membership is the Ovate
Order, open to candidates by examination, and for honorary membership by
proposal. Elevation to the second order of "Bards, Musicians
and Literati" is possible only through examination, while the third
grade - The Druidic Order - is reserved exclusively for those presented
by the Druids themselves, and accepted by the Board as having made a
substantial contribution of recognised distinction to Welsh Literature,
Music, Scholarship or Art. The head of the Gorsedd of Bards is the
Archdruid, who is elected for a term of three years, and is responsible
for conducting the Gorsedd ceremonies during Eisteddfod week. The
pageantry and ritual provide much colour and dignity to the
Eisteddfod.
Robed according to degree, Ovates in green, Bards in blue, and
Druids in white, the high officers wearing their symbolic regalia, three
Gorsedd ceremonies are held during the Eisteddfod week, the Crowning
ceremony to honour the finest free verse poet, the Prose Medal ceremony
and the Chairing ceremony for strict metre poetry - traditional Welsh
alliterative verse of which there is no English equivalent.
The most exciting ceremony held in the pavillion is, perhaps, the
Crowning of the Bard. Then, all the officials and members of the Gorsedd,
or circle of Driuds, assemble on the platform for the announcement of
the result of one of the principal competitions of the year. To
have a chance of winning the competition Welsh poets are invited well in
advance to submit epic poems on a set subject - the identity of each
competitor being carefully hidden under a pseudonym.
The excitement in the pavilion as the great moment approaches is
intense. Then, trumpets sound, and the Archdruid, amid a buzz of
"Who-is-it's" and "I-told-you's" summons the
victorious competitor to the platform. There the winner is
honoured by a children's
floral dance and dressed in a purple robe and given a crown of golden
oak leaves. The question is asked "A oes heddwch?"
(Is there peace?), and then, to a great shout of "Heddwch!"
a sword is sheathed over his head.
|
