August 04, 2026 - 272 views
The National Eisteddfod of Wales continues this week at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, bringing thousands of visitors together to celebrate the very best of Welsh language, music, literature and performance.
Held in the Garreg Las area of Pembrokeshire, the festival is taking place against the backdrop of the dramatic Preseli Hills, an area steeped in Welsh history, tradition and culture.
The National Eisteddfod is one of Wales’ most important cultural events and is regarded as one of the largest celebrations of its kind in Europe. Every year it provides a platform for singers, musicians, poets, writers, performers and learners of all ages to come together through the medium of Welsh.
For more than 150 years, the Eisteddfod has played a central role in preserving and promoting Welsh identity, giving communities across Wales the opportunity to showcase their talents while celebrating the language and traditions that are at the heart of Welsh life.
One of the major highlights of the festival has been the awarding of the Crown, one of the most prestigious honours in Welsh poetry.
The Crown, presented by the family of the Reverend WJ Gruffydd (Elerydd) and Mrs Jane Gruffydd, honours their memory and recognises the loyalty and generosity of communities in the Eisteddfod district during their ministry.
The £750 prize has been donated by local community newspaper Y Cardi Bach in memory of former editors Mrs Rhoswen Llewellyn and the Reverend Euros Wyn Jones. The ceremony is supported by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.
This year’s Crown was designed and created by husband-and-wife team Elen and Dylan Bowen of Bowen Jewellery in Newcastle Emlyn – the first time they have produced an Eisteddfod Crown.
The design celebrates the landscape of the Garreg Las area, drawing inspiration from the agricultural saying:
“Gold beneath the bracken, silver beneath the gorse, hunger beneath the heather.”
The Crown reflects the contrasts of Pembrokeshire’s landscape, from its beaches and farmland to the Preseli Hills, with individual stones inspired by the distinctive landscape of the area.
It also features a Nod Cyfrin crafted from pieces of bluestone, while the cap includes specially commissioned fabric woven in Llandovery using colours inspired by the local landscape.
A golden line across the front represents the historic Golden Road through the Preseli Hills, once an important route linking Ireland and London.
The Crown was awarded for a pryddest (free verse poem) or collection of poems of up to 250 lines on the theme ‘Adnabod’ (Knowing).
This year’s adjudicators were Damian Walford Davies, Gwynfor Dafydd and Nia Powell, who judged 41 entries.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Damian Walford Davies praised the quality and variety of this year’s work, describing the competition as displaying “considerable richness” in ideas and craftsmanship.
The Crown was awarded to Fan-go for a powerful and challenging collection exploring the subject of abuse and violation.
The judges said the work stood out because of its bold imagination and uncompromising approach to an extremely difficult theme.
They described the winning entry as challenging and unsettling, but said it demanded attention and deserved recognition because of its artistic strength.
Today marks the fourth day of Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, reaching the halfway point of the festival, with another packed programme of competitions, performances and cultural events.
Among the day’s highlights are several major ceremonies recognising outstanding contributions to Welsh culture.
At midday in the Pavilion, the Sir TH Parry-Williams Medal will be presented to someone who has devoted many years to promoting the Welsh language and culture, particularly among young people.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the medal, with previous recipients invited to a special celebration later in the afternoon.
At 3.25pm, Gethin Thomas will be honoured as a Fellow of the National Eisteddfod – the highest honour the festival can award. The recognition celebrates his decades of service to the Eisteddfod and Welsh culture.
The Pavilion will also host the presentation of the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize for an unpublished novel, while young performers will compete for the Gwyneth Morus Jones Memorial Prize for recitation.
Music lovers can enjoy a special programme featuring former Royal Harpist Claire Jones and composer Chris Marshall, including a premiere performance of Marshall’s new composition 1176.
The Literature Tent will host the Ymryson Barddas poetry competition, with teams from Ceredigion, Morgannwg and Carmarthenshire competing for a place in Friday’s final.
There will also be a tribute to the late poet Eirwyn George, including the launch of Barddoniaeth Sir Benfro (Poetry of Pembrokeshire), a collection he was preparing before his death.
The evening programme will celebrate the best of Welsh folk music.
At 6.15pm, Hergest will reunite for the first time in many years, marking 50 years since the release of their celebrated album Ffrindiau Bore Oes.
Later, after a performance by Gareth Bonello, legendary folk group Ar Log will take to the Tŷ Gwerin stage as they celebrate 50 years since forming.
The evening will finish with Pedair, featuring Gwenan Gibbard, Gwyneth Glyn, Meinir Gwilym and Sian James, performing on Llwyfan y Maes.
As Eisteddfod y Garreg Las continues, the festival once again demonstrates the importance of Welsh culture – bringing generations together and ensuring the language, creativity and traditions of Wales continue to thrive.
