Gwyn Anwyl
Gwyn Anwyl, Anglesey, is one of the two fanferers responsible for the Gorsedd fanfares, and has played a key role in every Gorsedd ceremony since 2021. He is an assistant headteacher at Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones. A member of Seindorf Beaumaris Band, he regularly competes with the band, including at the Eisteddfod; Gwyn is also a member of Hogia Llanbobman who also compete regularly.
Geraint Cynan
Geraint Cynan, Cardiff, has contributed to the musical culture of Wales for nearly half a century, as a member of various bands, a composer and arranger of folk, contemporary, and classical tunes, a music director for theatre companies, and a music arranger for some of our most popular television programmes. His contribution has undoubtedly raised the standard of music in Wales and advanced our musical culture generally. We are proud to honour him at this year’s Eisteddfod.
Gareth William Jones
Gareth William Jones, Bow Street, has given a lifetime of commendable service to the world of education, as a drama teacher, as Dyfed Library service cultural activities officer, and lecturing in the Welsh Language Department of Trinity College, Carmarthen. He has written ten novels for children. He also led a thriving drama company in Bow Street for many years. Since retiring, he has devoted himself voluntarily and tirelessly to literary and cultural associations and organisations in North Ceredigion and to the local community paper ‘Y Tincer’. His contribution and activity are appreciated by a wide range of ages and promotes many aspects of the Welsh language and culture both locally and nationally.
Mark Lewis Jones
Originally from Rhosllanerchrugog, Mark Lewis Jones, Cardiff, is one of our leading actors, whose roots are deeply embedded in his hometown. He has appeared in several series such as ‘Un Bore Mercher’, ‘Dal y Mellt’, ‘The Crown’, ‘Game of Thrones’, and he is also known for his roles in major films like ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ and ‘The Far Side of the World’. Recently, he was involved in projects to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Disaster, which is part of the area’s mining history. In addition to being honoured by the Gorsedd, Mark is the Honorary President of this year’s the Eisteddfod.
Mared Lewis
Mared Lewis, Anglesey, has given, and continues to give, dedicated service to her local area, to Wales, the Welsh language and our culture for many years. The author of seven novels for adults, she has also written several novels for learners as part of the ‘Amdani’ series. She is active with the local community newspaper, ‘Papur Menai’, and with the Anglesey Eisteddfod. In fact, she is a member of Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Môn, and also a popular tutor teaching Welsh to local adults.
John Morgans
John Morgans has made significant contributions to the ecumenical life of churches in Wales through his rich ministry, particularly in the community of Pen-rhys in the Rhondda. He is a strong believer in social justice and was very active among the communities of the South Wales valleys during the miners’ strike. When he was a moderator for the United Reformed Church in Wales, the family decided to move from their home in Cardiff to a council house on the Pen-rhys estate in order to support the minister, and when he was later appointed as a minister, together with his wife, Norah, he set about establishing the United Church of Llanfair. He has learned Welsh and is supportive of all kinds of Welsh cultural activities. His new book documenting the story of Pen-rhys is being translated into Welsh.
Elen Mai Nefydd
The contribution made by Elen Mai Nefydd, Wrexham, in the field of higher education over the last quarter of a century has been crucial for the Wrexham area, initially as head of the Department of Theatre, Television and Performance at Wrexham University, before being appointed Head of Welsh Provision there. She received an award for exceptional contribution to Welsh-medium higher education from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol last year. Elen Mai takes great pride in being elected Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee for this year’s National Eisteddfod to be held in Wrexham, leading on the cultural aspect, and she is passionate about attracting new audiences to both the Welsh language and the Eisteddfod.
Ann Parry Owen
Professor Ann Parry Owen, Aberystwyth, is a leading academic who specialises in the language, grammar, and poetry of medieval Wales. Having received her secondary education in Llangollen, she currently works at the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and has made substantial contributions to many research projects over the years; she is also a senior editor with ‘Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru’, the Welsh National Dictionary. In addition to leading research teams over the years, Ann has also been responsible for nurturing young scholars, thereby significantly contributing to the development of Welsh as an academic discipline. She is also chief editor of the journal ‘Studia Celtica’ and a member of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s panel on place names.
Hywel Wyn Owen
Emeritus Professor Emeritus Hywel Wyn Owen, Llandegfan, is well known as an expert on Welsh place names. Originally from Birkenhead, he was a Latin and English teacher at Ysgol Maes Garmon, Mold, before moving to train teachers at Coleg Normal in Bangor. He established a Place Names Research Centre at the university, where he was appointed director and awarded a personal chair. There he was responsible for digitizing the Melville Richards Archive, now one of our nation’s cultural treasures. He has been president of the Welsh Place-Name Society, the Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland and the English Place-Name Society, and is a member of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s panel on place names. He continues to contribute to local and national events which promote place names and Welsh culture.
Ceinwen Parry
Ceinwen Parry, of Treuddyn, Mold, has devoted herself to promoting the Welsh language and culture in an area that is only ten miles from the border with England. She has been the secretary of the Treuddyn Eisteddfod since 1985, and despite trying to retire a year or so ago, still does much of the work. She has supported to her utmost every good cause in the area, especially in ensuring financial support from the village as the National Eisteddfod has come to Mold twice and the Urdd to Flint in 2017. In 2015 she received a certificate of honour from Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru. People like Ceinwen ensure that the Welsh language may still be heard in this area; she certainly deserves to be honoured by the Gorsedd.
Shân Eleri Passmore
We are delighted to honour Shân Eleri Passmore, Cardiff, for her service to the world of eisteddfodau, both great and small, over a long period. Before moving to Cardiff in 1981, Shân was the secretary of the Maenclochog Eisteddfod for several years. Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru was very fortunate to have her as its Development Officer for a time, and she has also worked for both the Urdd and the National Eisteddfod. More recently, Shân was a great help in establishing a new l eisteddfod in Cardiff, which has since developed into a successful event, and she has prepared and provided the chair for that eisteddfod over the past three years.
Dilwyn Price
Dilwyn Price, Old Colwyn, is known to generations of Welsh children as the bubbly and enthusiastic leader of the Urdd Jamborees. He has contributed extensively to the world of education in North Wales. He has been active in training children and young people in schools and also led the Urdd and Aelwyd sections in Abergele. A versatile musician, he conducts the mixed choir, Côr Alaw, in Colwyn Bay. He also conducts singing festivals, in Wales and beyond, accepting invitations to Taranaki, New Zealand, and Melbourne, Australia. He is an energetic and enthusiastic character, who has inspired many of our children and young people for almost half a century. He was awarded the John and Ceridwen Hughes Medal at the Urdd Eisteddfod, 2015.
Rhys Roberts
There is no one like Rhys Roberts, Blaenau Ffestiniog for promoting and reinforcing the arts among young people in his local community. He works hard and often voluntarily to ensure that young working class people have opportunities to develop skills within the arts, including music, film-making, organising gigs and arts events. The children who come through Rhys’ programmes are empowered to feel pride in their local area, and he offers them both support and direction - and believes in their potential. He is also a member of the band, Anweledig, which has re-formed to play at this year’s Eisteddfod.
Jessica Robinson
The soprano, Jessica Robinson, Crymych, graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with a first-class honours degree and distinction in her MA in Operatic Performance, and received the Aneurin Davies memorial prize, the Mansel Thomas prize, the Margaret Tann prize, and the Elias Soprano prize. She was also the first representative in 20 years to reach the final round of the Singer of the World competition, and the first Welsh woman in the competition’s history. She has competed at the eisteddfod from a very young age, succeeding at both the National Eisteddfod and the Urdd. She has also been a member of the Young Farmers’ Clubs for many years, competing locally and nationally, and takes advantage of every opportunity to promote our language and culture.
Stephen Owen Rule
Stephen Rule, Coed-llai, Flintshire, is perhaps better known as his digital persona, the Welsh Doctor. He has over 80 thousand followers on his Instagram account and every one of his films highlight his passion for the Welsh language and his tireless desire to promote it. A teacher of Welsh (second language) by profession, he offers advice and support to learners and unconfident Welsh speakers all over the world with his infectious enthusiasm and his understanding of the origin of names, the meanings of sayings, mutations, grammar and syntax. He is one of the best communicators for our language and culture, and we are pleased to honour him at this year’s Wrecsam Eisteddfod.
Dylan Williams
Dylan Williams, Caernarfon, is dedicated to teaching, inspiring and attracting interest in the world of music, especially among young boys. He strongly believes in giving every child the opportunity to learn to play an instrument and emphasises that music should be fun for all! He has taught hundreds of children in schools in the Caernarfon region over the years, leads the region’s junior band, and the Gwynedd and Môn senior brass band, and he has enjoyed great success with Ysgol Brynrefail, Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen and Ysgol Bontnewydd. He is also the principal cornet player with Seindorf Arian Deiniolen, who are keen competitors every year.