News Archive

Cadair yr Urdd

A CHAIR was donated on Thursday in memory of the Archdruid Dic Jones, who sadly passed away last year.
A few weeks before he died, the Archdruid had discussed his vision for he chair with carpenter and great friend of the family, Glan Rees.
"Dic was adamant it should be a simple, modern chair,' said Glan.
"At first glance this is a simple chair but if you take a closer look, you'll see strong images. These are the result of a conversation Dic, Jean his wife, and I had about a month before Dick died."
The images in the window - made of stained glass- look to the future. In the glass are images of land, sky, a red kite and an ear of corn.
Glan added: "Dic asked me to depict the ear of corn as curved and bowed. This was to show his admiration for the young bards. He used to say how much he admired the young poets and their achievements. On the back of the chair, there's a couplet from one of Dic's poems, Y Gamp. Dic insisted on this being placed on the back of the chair not the front."
Aled Sion, Director of the Urdd National Eisteddfod, said: "We're very grateful to the late Archdruid Dic Jones' family for their gift if the Urdd National Eisteddfod, 2010 chair in his memory.
"With the Eisteddfod in this part of the world, which meant so much to Dic Jones, it's an honour to be able to celebrate his contribution to this area. Dic Jones is the only person to have won the Urdd National Eisteddfod Chair five times consecutively and we will celebrate this remarkable achievement as well as his other accomplishments today."

* The chair was won by Llyr Gwyn Lewis, originally from Caernarfon and now studying in Oxford, who wrote a poem on the theme of 'Tonnau' (Waves). Gruffydd Antur from Ysgol Uwchradd y Berwyn came second.