Eisteddfod Gadeiriol Penrhyn-coch
Eisteddfod Gadeiriol Penrhyn-coch 1964–88
The following article appeared in Y Tincer 108 (April 1988) pp. 8–9. It traces the first 25 years in the history of the Penrhyn-coch Eisteddfod and lists the winners of the chair over this period:
With this year's eisteddfod we celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the present series of eisteddfodau, the first of which was held in the village hall in 1964. The village of Penrhyn-coch boasts a strong eisteddfodic tradition. For many years prior to 1919 an eisteddfod was held at Horeb Chapel on Christmas Day, and then on Boxing Day for several years. From 1924 until the end of the 1930s an eisteddfod was held on a Wednesday evening at the beginning of December. The programmes of these early eisteddfodau make interesting reading. In the music and recitation sections, little has changed since the early eisteddfodau, apart from the fact that specific songs and recitations were set in the early years. There was also a section entitled 'Arts and Crafts' where competitors were required to produce items such as a hazel walking-stick, a handle for a spade, and a tea cosy. Substantial essays on subjects such as 'The first mission journey of the Apostle Paul' and 'The prophet Amos' were set, and in 1921 an essay on 'The history and characters of Penrhyn-coch Baptist Chapel during the first fifty years'. In 1937 there was a competition for the best cake. It had to be made from a special recipe to be obtained from the secretary for three pence. A prize of 7/6 was to be awarded to the winner, a generous prize considering that the prize for the winner of the chief recitation was 10/6 and 5/0 for the winning quartet.
The opening of the new village hall in 1960 hailed the beginning of a new period in the history of the community. Following the success of the first carnival, Carey Stephens proposed that the eisteddfod was resurrected and a committee was established. The first secretary (Mrs Nesta Edwards) and the treasurer (Mrs Vera Evans) are still in office twenty-five years later. Mr Abraham Jones, Glanstewi, Mrs Edwards's father, was the first chairman, and held the office until 1971 when he was succeeded by the present chairman, Mr I. Gwyn Williams.
The recommencement of the eisteddfod was a risky undertaking in the mid-1960s since local eisteddfodau such as Goginan and Tal-y-bont had recently come to an end. However, committee members began to raise funds and to seek prizes and a date was set – the last Saturday but one in April (Borth Eisteddfod was held on the last Saturday of the month). (In 1965 the eisteddfod was held on Easter Saturday, but was not so successful since Llanilar Eisteddfod was held on Good Friday.) An advertisement was sent to the Cambrian News and the mailing list of Tal-y-bont Eisteddfod was obtained from its secretary J. R. Jones, who was selected as the adjudicator of the literature and recitation sections. Radio programmes such as 'Helô Bobol', 'Stondin Sulwyn' and 'Post Prynhawn' did not exist in 1964 to publicise local events. It was decided that a bardic chair should be awarded and Mr and Mrs Evans, Bwthyn, donated a model chair made by their late son Brian. It was won by Miss June Kenny Aberystwyth (now Mrs June Griffiths). A model chair was also awarded in the second year, and in the third eisteddfod the first easy chair was awarded, donated by the committee members. The winner was Vernon Jones, Bow Street.
Two ladies were selected as presidents at the first eisteddfod: Miss Sally Jenkins in the afternoon and in the evening Miss Megan Richards, one of the London Welsh but whose family hailed from this area, her father from Nantybwla, Cwm Madog, and her mother an aunt of Mr Alwyn Davies, Llwyngronw. The two ladies were invited back as presidents in 1988 to celebrate the eisteddfod's twenty-fifth anniversary.
It appears that the 1964 eisteddfod was dominated by females! Female secretary and treasurer, female presidents, female winner of the chair, and a female adjudicator in the Music section, namely Gwyneth Alban Jenkins, Rhyl, who also had family links with the area, being related to the Mason family of Blaendolau.
Of the present committee (the other members are Mrs Eirlys Mason Hughes, Mrs Eirwen Hughes and Mrs Mairwen Jones) the secretary and treasurer continued in office from the very beginning and we are indebted to them for the success of the eisteddfod. The two have also suffered periods of illness and we hope that Mrs Evans will be well enough to take part in the 1988 eisteddfod. They both have many memories about past eisteddfodau. In the second eisteddfod the music adjudicator was the late Dr Leslie Wynne Evans, Cardiff, who was blessed with an incredible memory. He could remember the names of about fifteen competitors without any notes. The eisteddfod went on until 2 o'clock in the morning and he had to stay the night, leaving at the crack of dawn the following day for Neath, where he was to conduct a children's singing festival at 10 a.m.
In 1967 the recitation adjudicator Geraint Lloyd Owen had to go to Maesaleg, the home of Dr and Mrs David Jenkins, to hold the preliminary round of the chief recitation competition as there were 14 competitors.
It is a nightmare for any secretary when an adjudicator is unable to fulfil his duties. One year Aled Gwyn had to withdraw at the last minute because of his wife's illness, but it was a great relief to the officers to understand that he had arranged for his brother T. James Jones, Carmarthen, to take his place. Six years ago the winning poet T. Gwynn Jones, Carmarthen, was unable to come but he sent his son Rhys to be chaired in his place.
A generation of competitors have been and gone. Ifor Lloyd, Dai Jones and Dafydd Edwards came to the first eisteddfodau, and we followed the success of people like Delyth Hopkins, Huw Evans and Gwawr Owen through into the adult section and on to become national winners.
The eisteddfod officers are full of praise for the local ladies who work so hard throughout the day preparing food. One year the hilarity of these ladies was heard in the hall and they had to be asked several times to be quiet! Ifan Gruffydd of Tregaron, that year's winner of the chair, was to blame for entertaining them with his jokes!
Another activity which arose as a direct result of the eisteddfod was the Penrhyn-coch Choir, which was formed when Mrs Eirwen Hughes, Pencwm, settled in the village. Although it was formed to take part in Penrhyn-coch Eisteddfod, it also competed at several other local eisteddfodau. During recent years the number of choirs has fallen. At one time choirs from Rhayader, Tregaron and Llan-non entered the competition, but by now Côr Glannau Ystwyth, Pontrhydygroes, is the sole competitor. As a result of this, the audience has dwindled since three or four choirs obviously swell their numbers.
By now several of the eisteddfodau which were in existence when Penrhyn-coch Eisteddfod began (such as Borth and Tristant) have come to an end. On the eve of the twenty-fifth eisteddfod we wish the eisteddfod and its hard-working team every success for the future.
Chwarter canrif o'i rhifo – yw ei hoed
Ym Mhenrhyn ei henfro,
Di-atal, parhaed eto
A'i mawr hwyl yn brifwyl bro.
D. Gwyn Evans
CHAIR WINNERS:
1964 Miss June Kenny, Aberystwyth
1965 John Rees, Mallwyd
1966 Vernon Jones, Bow Street
1967 Carellio Morgan, Aberystwyth
1968 Brynmor Jones, Aberystwyth
1969 Alwyn Thomas, Llanbedr Pont Steffan
1970 Y Parchg S. Idris Evans, Henllan, Llandysul
1971 Rhys Jones, Penrhyn-coch
1972 D.S. Jones, Llanfarian
1973 Huw Ceiriog, Aber-ffrwd
1974 D.H. Culpitt, Cefneithin
1975 Ifor Davies, Aberystwyth
1976 Ifor Davies, Aberystwyth
1977 Y Parchg Gwyn Evans, Aberystwyth
1978 Y Parchg Gwyn Evans, Aberystwyth
1979 * Dim cofnod pwy enillodd*
1980 Islwyn Edwards, Cwm-ann
1981 Islwyn Edwards, Cwm-ann
1982 T. Gwynn Jones, Caerfyrddin
1983 Y Parchg Brinley Thomas, Pencader
1984 Alwyn Thomas, Talgarreg
1985 Ifan Gruffydd, Tregaron
1986 Huw Huws, Dolau
1987 Y Parchg Gwyn Evans, Aberystwyth
1988 Ifor Davies, Aberystwyth
1989 Y Parchg O.T. Evans, Aberystwyth
1990 David Jones, Tal-y-bont
1991 Mrs M.B. Morgan, Llanrhystud
1992 Alwyn Thomas, Talgarreg
1993 Brynmor Jones, Aberystwyth
1994 Alwyn Thomas, Talgarreg
1995 Anwen James, Llangeitho
1996 Graham Williams, Rhiwfawr
1997 Y Parchg Peter Thomas, Penrhyn-coch and Aberystwyth
1998 Y Parchg Peter Thomas, Penrhyn-coch and Aberystwyth
1999 Y Parchg Peter Thomas, Penrhyn-coch and Aberystwyth
2000 Anwen James, Llangeitho
2001 Postponed due to Foot & Mouth disease
2002 Mrs Dilys Baker, Llanrhystud
2003 Graham Williams, Rhiwfawr
2004 Richard Llwyd Jones, Bethel, Caernarfon
2005 Graham Williams, Rhiwfawr
2006 Beynon Phillips, Brechfa
2007 Anwen Mai Pierce, Bow Street
2008 Rocet Arwel Jones, Aberystwyth
2009 Osian Rowlands, Llandwrog, Caernarfon