Dyfrig Roberts will be honoured as a Fellow of the National Eisteddfod during a ceremony on the Pavilion stage at this year’s festival in August
This is the greatest honour the Eisteddfod can offer and is a sign of gratitude for years of service to the organisation.
Originally from Anglesey, Dyfrig's connection with the Eisteddfod began because of his work as an engineer, when he was called upon to deal with an engineering problem on the Maes in Bro Dwyfor, almost 50 years ago in 1975.
His company was commissioned to design a new Pavilion made of steel, which was operational for ten years from 1977 to 1987. As a result, he was appointed a member of the national technical committee, and was a member of the committee until 2019, serving as committee chair for years. He also volunteered at local level, twice chairing the technical committee when the Eisteddfod was held in the Conwy county area.
Over the years, Dyfrig has been a constant support to the Eisteddfod, serving on various committees and groups, including the Management Board and Eisteddfod Council. He was also involved with Gorsedd Cymru, and in 2003, he was elected as Arwyddfardd, one of the main functions of the Gorsedd, and held the position for almost 20 years, until his retirement in 2022.
On receiving the honour Dyfrig said, "Being elected a Fellow by my peers in an organisation that’s been such an important part of my life for almost half a century is a great honour. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my journey with the Eisteddfod and Gorsedd Cymru.
"Since the beginning, I wanted our language to have a prominent place in the engineering world here in Wales, and my relationship with the National Eisteddfod has enabled me to do this."
Dyfrig Roberts will be honoured on the Pavilion stage on Saturday 3 August, and the Rhondda Cynon Taf National Eisteddfod will be held in Parc Ynysangharad, Pontypridd from 3-10 August this year. For more information go to www.eisteddfod.cymru.