Unseasonal weather

AN UNSEASONAL snow flurry left Dolgellau under a blanket of snow last Wednesday morning.

Dolgellau was captured in the midst of a brief snowfall at around 9am which bedecked the town in white.Local resident Ian King, who snapped this unusual shot (seen right), was surprised.“I don’t think I’ve ever seen snow this late in the year,” Ian told the Cambrian News.“It was relatively thin on the ground, but there was quite a bit of snow on Cader Idris.“A lot of it washed away after a bit of rainfall, but it’s bizarre to see snow just four days before the start of May!”

Golf club

DOLGELLAU Golf Club Captain, Steve Gregory of Barmouth, excelled at the first cup competition of his year in office by winning the Gregory Cup on Sunday.Ironically the new Captain the beat immediate past Captain Roy Evans by one shot in fine but windy and tricky conditions.Steve Gregory birdied the 13th but his chance seemed to have gone when he had a double bogey five on the par three 14th and then a triple bogey seven on the difficult 16th having hit his second shot into the ditch.Two pars to finish left him on the winning score of 79-15-64.Roy Evans was on 74-9-66 in the clubhouse and recorded the joint lowest gross with a back nine of 35 which included three birdies on the 10th, 13th and the 18th. Costly for him was a double bogey five on the par three 17th.Tom Slattery was third on 74-8-66 despite a back nine of 36 and a dropped shot on the last.Two players got two birdie two’s Jonathen Davies on the 5th and 8th and junior member Ilan Hughes on the 8th and 11th. Kevin Jones scored a two on the 2nd.

St Mary’s Women’s Fellowship

JESSIE opened the meeting with the Lord’s Prayer. Ten members attended. Our speaker was Frank Edge; his subject, photography. Frank started with Aristotle 4th century BC, whose observations led later to the development of the Camera Obscura (Latin Dark Room), a fine example of which can be found on Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth.Thomas Wedgwood (1771-1805) and his development of the photogram.Next, Joseph Neipce who was accredited for the earliest existing camera photograph taken 1826/27.Penultimately Louis Daguerre and Henry Fox Talbot 1830’s, their work culminating in 1839 the year to be considered by many to be the ‘Birth year of Practical Photography’. Finally Frank discussed the ‘Photo Revolution’ of the 1990s leading to the Digital Era.Frank went on to talk about his own particular favourite photographer, Father Francis (Frank) Browne a Jesuit Priest and prolific photographer (42,000 photographs,in negative format, not found until 1985, 25 years after his death). As a student priest he travelled from Cherbourg to Cork by an ocean liner, soon to become notorious.He took many photographs, covering the crew and all class of passengers , and of the ship from the opulent 1st class area to the humble steerage. He took fine photographs of the ship , the Titanic, as she sailed, not bound for the New York as planned, but sadly to a watery grave. His photographs provide an invaluable and unique insight into life on board the Titanic.Frank went onto discussing his own Royal Photographic Society Licentiateship Panel, displaying his excellent photographs in addition to numerous examples from his archives, whilst demonstrating some valuable information on photographic techniques, discussing some wildlife photographs he had taken, including those taken at Desmond Varaday’s Cheetah Sanctuary in South Africa. To close, Frank then went on to judge our own photographic competition, he found it it difficult to choose, as all were excellent. Wendy won 1st. prize.Jessie gave the vote of thanks, thank you again Frank for a very entertaining presentation, we look forward to seeing you again.Lillian won the raffle

Ysgol y Gader

ON Monday, 18 April a very enthusiastic and appreciative audience gathered at Ysgol y Gader to listen to vocal and instrumental soloists, duets, ensembles and choir singing to performances of a very high standard.Carwyn Evans, the music teacher, welcomed everyone to the school, and under his baton, a wide range of music was performed ending the evening with The Circle of Life from The Lion King.It was obvious to everyone that the pupils and the audience had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Gifts were presented to the teachers and the accompanists for their work in ensuring that the evening was such a success.As an appreciation for all the support, the hard work and the enthusiasm that the pupils have shown to all the activities arranged by the Music Department, a visit to Birmingham has been arranged for Wednesday, 6 July, to see the show Mamma Mia.

Cymdeithas Hanes Teuluoedd Gwynedd

BYDD Cangen Meirion o Gymdeithas Hanes Teuluoedd Gwynedd yn cyfarfod yn y Llyfrgell Rydd nos Iau, 12 Mai, am 7yh.Y siaradwr fydd Idris Evans, a’i destun fydd Y Porthmyn. Croeso i aelodau hen a newydd. Am fwy o fanylion cysylltwch â 01766 540311.