Held during the first week of August every year, the National Eisteddfod is a celebration of the culture and language in Wales. The festival travels from place to place across Wales, attracting around 150,000 visitors and over 250 trade stands and stalls.

This year the Eisteddfod will be held on Anglesey from the 4th to 12th of August, and once again the University of Wales will be in attendance.

Sharing a stand with our merger partner the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, there will be many activities and lectures taking place throughout the week including an information session by Angharad Fychan, one of the Senior Editors of the Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru (dictionary of the Welsh language), about the latest additions to the dictionary, the opportunity to find out more about the ‘Friends of the Dictionary’ with Myrddin ap Dafydd, performances by students from Canolfan Berfformio Cymru (CBC), as well as workshops, discussion groups and other lectures.  Visitors will also be able to browse and purchase books from the University of Wales bookshop.

Once again, both universities will be sponsoring y Babell Lên (the literary pavilion) with a number of events and lectures taking place in the venue including the annual Friday lecture and a series of literary conversations.

The events are as follows:

Monday 7th August – 12:30
Bywyd fy ewythr, Hedd Wyn
Mererid Hopwood chats to Hedd Wyn’s nephew, Gerald Williams, about his family and his life caring for Yr Ysgwrn, the 18th Century farmhouse in Trawsfynydd which was the home of the chair-winning poet.

Tuesday 8th August – 12:30
O’r Gair i’r Gân: Opera ‘Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd’
Catrin Beard talks to Gareth Glyn about the new Welsh-language opera Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd. Created by Gareth Glyn and Mererid Hopwood, it is based on the iconic futuristic novel of the same name by Islwyn Ffowc Elis.

Wednesday 9th August – 12:30
110 blynedd ers sefydlu’r Llyfrgell Genedlaethol
Celebrating 110 years since the National Library of Wales was founded, former librarian Andrew Green chats to Catrin Beard. Andrew Green was head of the National Library in Aberystwyth for 14 years from 1998 to 2013.

Thursday 10th August – 12:30
Corlannau a Chlymau, y Prifardd Eluned Phillips
Menna Elfyn discusses the unconventional life of Eluned Phillips, the Welsh writer and poet who was the only woman to be crowned twice at the National Eisteddfod during the twentieth century.

Friday 11th August – 13:15
Martin Luther, William Salesbury a Griffith Jones, Llanddowror: Etifeddiaeth y Diwygiad Protestannaidd, 1517-2017
Densil Morgan delivers the University of Wales and University of Wales Trinity Saint David lecture, looking at Martin Luther, William Salesbury and Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, and the legacy of the Reformation.

Representatives from the University will be on hand all week to speak with Alumni members, whether this is to ask any questions in an informal setting, or simply reminisce about their time at University, and some of the University’s Alumni Branches and Sections are also organising their own events throughout the week. At 12:00 noon on Monday 7^th August in Societies Pavilion 1, The Classics section of the Alumni Association will hold their annual lecture.  This year Samuel Jones will deliver a lecture on the notable Welsh classicist T Hudson Williams entitled T. Hudson-Williams and his Classical Career and a warm welcome is extended to all. Friday will see the launch of the 6^th volume in the Philosophy Section’s Astudiaethau Athronyddol series. Entitled Argyfwng Hunaniaeth a Chred: Ysgrifau ar Athroniaeth JR Jones (A Crisis of Identity and belief: papers on JR Jones’ philosophy) the volume focuses on the philosophy of JR Jones, former Head of the Philosophy Department at Swansea. The volume will be launched at 12:00 noon on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Stand in the company of the editor E. Gwynn Matthews & Cynog Dafis.

We look forward to welcoming you there.