Rhys Iorwerth is the winner of the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod Crown. The poet from Caernarfon came out top in a competition which attracted 42 entries
The Crown is presented by the Caernarfonshire Branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales with the financial prize of £750 donated by the Bryn Bodfel Family, Rhydyclafdy, in memory of Griffith Wynne. The Crown was designed and created by Elin Mair Roberts.
The Crown is presented for a ‘pryddest’ or collection of poems not in cynghanedd, of no more than 250 lines, on ‘Rhyddid’ (Freedom). The adjudicators are Jason Walford Davies, Elinor Wyn Reynolds and Marged Haycock.
Jason Walford Davies began his adjudication from the stage saying, “It’s clear that being able to hold the title of 'Crowned Poet of the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod' has been a powerful attraction, because forty-two candidates responded to this year's challenge of compiling a poem or a collection of poems on the subject of 'Rhyddid' (Freedom).
"The reality is, of course, that this is a subject that offers a license to spread its wings. For my own part, I was struck by the lack of textuality of many of the competitors: as if many of the poets could not cope with such freedom, and therefore sought refuge in independence - an act which ultimately gave rise, ironically, to non-textual specificity.
“There are others, of course, who cling to the text like a dog by the bone...
"Marged places three at the top of the competition, namely Arhosyn, Buan, and Gregor. Elinor and I placed four in the first class, namely the same three, but added Un.
“...One collection stands apart from the rest. Gregor expresses some of the same environmental concerns as Buan, and also voices the same middle-aged fears; but the voice is more mature, as Marged noticed, the poems are miraculously concise, and the thematic unity of the work is tighter.
"On top of this, Gregor is the best crafter of the competition, and has the firmest grip on the rhythmic requirements of poetry. It’s certain that the environmental and nebulous apocalypse imagined in this collection is that much more horrifying to be described in such a disturbingly quiet way.
“The poet say: ‘Os daw’r consgriptwyr ar dy ôl, fy mab,/ wrth i’r dronau/ sganio dros Segontiwm, wrth i ti/ chwilio am solas yn y cof am dy fam/ a’r rotorau’n wylofain/ dros Ben Twtil’.
"And as Elinor says, 'it's all uncomfortably relevant': that is, at the heart of Gregor's portrait of a global environmental crisis is the constant emphasis on the disaster in its local, family - and specific Welsh aspects.
"In the impressive opening poem of the collection, there are references to the Menai rising over the feet of the speaker's 'children', and to the fact that 'screams' will be their 'last Welsh'. Many aspects of freedom - and slavery - come into play here. What we get from Gregor is a clear example of internalizing the set text to such an extent that a superficial 'subject' becomes a living part of the fabric of language and thought.
“To end like that. We, as judges, are all in agreement that Arhosyn, Buan, Gregor, and also Un (placed by Marged ahead of the other competitors bordering on the First Class) are fully worthy of the Crown. Four then.
"But we are unanimous that Gregor, without a doubt, excels. The Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod gave rise to high competition beyond its standard, and on that basis this year's winner deserves special credit. That winner is Gregor.”
Rhys Iorwerth is an April Fools baby. This year, on his birthday he said goodbye, temporarily, to these poems, but he also said 'goodbye', a little more finally, to his thirties.
Rhys is a freelance translator and writer and lives in the town of his upbringing, Caernarfon, with Siwan, his wife, and Magw and Idwal, who are three and two years old. Down the lane, is the home of his parents, who have always been among his most honest and insightful literary critics.
He has published two collections of poetry, a pamphlet of poems, a volume of prose, and several scripts for television, radio and the Web. He won the Book of the Year Poetry Award in 2015, the Michael Marks Award for Poetry in the Celtic Languages in 2020, and the Dic Jones Memorial Award for the best poem on Y Talwrn on BBC Radio Cymru three times. He also won the National Eisteddfod Chair at the Wrexham and District National Eisteddfod in 2011.
Hours before sending the material to the Eisteddfod office, on the eve of celebrating his fortieth birthday, Rhys was mowing the lawn in the back garden. The machine he used was an electric, cordless, 33cm McGregor. Gregor was a 'watchful' or 'alert' man. Especially, perhaps, when concerned about the future of his flock or his children. But how alert and vigilant can anyone be? After scratching his head for a while, Rhys noticed that this would be his pseudonym.
Y Lôn Goed, the important historical path that borders Llŷn and Eifionydd is the centerpiece of this year's Crown, and its boundaries were used as its basis. The textures seen in the countryside are imitated in silver on it, and the wealth of the area's land is represented in the green material of the headdress.
Boundaries between farms and lands, as well as the hedges and stone walls traditionally seen in the Eisteddfod areas are also represented on the Crown, with hedges typically seen in Llŷn and stone walls in Eifionydd. A 'border' protects the world of agriculture, and the aim was to highlight this in the design.
Elin Mair also added a piece of her jewelery to the design, a daffodil made of 18ct yellow gold.
The winning poems will be published on the Eisteddfod website following the ceremony and the Cyfansoddiadau a Beirniadaethau, which includes the full adjudication for this competition and the winners of all the other composition winners at this year’s Eisteddfod will be published at the end of the Chairing Ceremony on Friday afternoon.
The Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod is held in Boduan until 12 August. For more information go online, www.eisteddfod.wales.