Nic Parry appointed Eisteddfod Court President and Chair of the Management Board

This was confirmed at today’s Court meeting (7 August) following an open recruitment process. He succeeds Ashok Ahir, who was appointed in 2019.

Mr Parry was a solicitor in Mold before being appointed as a judge in the Crown Courts in North Wales. He is also well known as a football commentator and recently accompanied the Wales women's team to the European Championship in Switzerland.

Upon taking up the role, he stated that he would fight against any suggestion of relaxing the Welsh language rule and is committed to working in a practical way that includes Eisteddfod participants. Mr Parry also promised to ensure transparency in the decisions of the Court and the Management Board.

“I have no doubt at all that we must remain faithful to the Welsh language rule. It is entirely possible to live for a week using Welsh without missing out at all, as the provision for non-Welsh speakers is better than ever,” he said.

Mr Parry added that he was eager to put his name forward because he considers the role especially important in caring for one of our main institutions.

“It’s a role that needs to move with the times, and I thought I had the skills needed in the 21st century to do the job.

It’s a mix of nervousness and pride too, and I look forward to committing to it and ensuring I carry it out in a practical way that, hopefully, includes Eisteddfod participants,” he said.

Mr Parry was a highly respected judge in the Welsh Courts until he retired earlier this year. He was known as a fair and thorough chairperson and expected others to facilitate the court’s work. He hopes to bring the same qualities to his role as President of the Eisteddfod Court.

“I’ve been a judge for over a quarter of a century – fifteen years full-time, and ten years part-time before that. When I retired, I had the pleasure of sitting and hearing people say nice things about me, with many saying I had a style that made people feel I was on their side.

I’m here to listen to them – but when it’s time to put my foot down, I can do that too. I think that’s how I’ll lead.”

Mr Parry believes that collaboration with the Welsh Government is an important part of the role, and says:

“Financially, things are tight, and the goodwill of the government is key. That’s something that needs to be maintained and nurtured further. At the moment, I’m pleased to say that officials are ensuring that constructive relationship continues.

But that will only happen if the Eisteddfod ticks the boxes the government needs it to tick – and that means including more people and making it a festival not just for traditional Welsh speakers. That’s being emphasized in areas like the east, as well as the west.”

Another issue he wants to highlight is ensuring that businesses see the benefit of being part of the festival.

“I can’t understand why businesses wouldn’t want to raise their profile at an event where 170,000 people attend over eight days. So, I think that’s important.”

“Legacy” is a popular word at the moment, and Mr Parry is keen to see that developed from the very beginning of preparations for the main festival. He wants the local area to see a difference after the Eisteddfod has moved on.

“There are societies still going, choirs still going, and they wouldn’t be there if not for the Eisteddfod. I agree with Mark Drakeford – we need to think about that from the start. 

Not just leave and hope there’s a legacy, but decide in advance how the Eisteddfod will benefit the area. And if you explain that to the community, it’s more of an incentive to get involved.

They’re not doing the work for just one year – they’re doing it for a long period. We don’t want to leave them, say ‘ta-ta’ and ‘thank you’, but hopefully leave them with organisations, events, and Welsh language practices that weren’t there before – including people who previously had nothing to do with the Welsh language,” he said.

The Eisteddfod is an arts festival – and home to many disciplines and genres – and Mr Parry wants to retain every element of culture on the Eisteddfod field.

“The Eisteddfod has a new leader who’s just as happy at the bar listening to bands as he is lucky enough to lead from the stage.

When I lead from the stage, I see this is the competitive Eisteddfod – and believe me, it’s popular with large audiences and they enjoy competing. There’s no doubt, I speak to judges, and the standard is continually rising – it’s almost professional in some cases.

On the other hand, you go out to the field and see people enjoying a completely different festival. Of course, there’s room for both – and sometimes people step off the stage and go to the bar, and in the future, those people will join choirs and go to the Pavilion. It’s a development I’ve admired, and I’m happy to say the Eisteddfod is a festival – and that’s how I describe it,” he said.

And as he takes the reins from Ashok Ahir, he admitted one element of the job worries him.

“I’m still worried about how I’m going to put the cloak on the winners – because I can’t use my own dressing gown.

"I was watching Ashok and Llinos this week dressing the winners, and I was worried I’d fasten the wrong button,” he said.

In the past, Mr Parry has experienced the thrill of competing in the Eisteddfod and has served as Vice-chair of the executive committee, Chair of the festival’s finance committee on two occasions. He has presented from the stage for many years and was also an Honorary President of the festival.

Outside the Eisteddfod field, he was chair of school governors for nearly ten years and editor of a local paper.

“I’m a producer of drama companies that have been successful more than once in long drama competitions, and an Elder at Gellifor Chapel. I’ve been a regular speaker to large and small societies for decades.

I’ve also been a television and radio broadcaster for over forty years, working through both Welsh and English – most of this work being live broadcasting, having to think quickly and deal with the unexpected,” he said.