Madam,

Gwyl Glyndwr, the Machynlleth Festival which commemorates Owain Glyndwr’s defiant act in raising his banner against the English crown on 16 September 1400, will this year provide extra incentives for those who are learning Welsh.

During a weekend of celebrations at the Owain Glyndwr Centre on September 15-17, there will be a special welcome from a team of advanced learner hosts..

The weekend opens on a serious note at 7.30pm in the Old Parliament House on Friday evening with a newly researched lecture by Glyndwr expert and former Aberystwyth professor, Dr Gruffydd Aled Williams on Dafydd Gam, the man who attempted to assassinate Owain at the 1404 Parliament in Machynlleth, followed by an open discussion led by Dr Elin Jones, the eminent history consultant, on much-needed reforms to the Welsh history curriculum.

Saturday afternoon on the lawn will be mainly for the young at heart with ongoing attractions from 1pm, such as a display of medieval arms, ‘my hero’ competition, glitter face-painting, giant puppets, bouncy castle, and a demonstration of traditional ‘quoits’ led by experts from Felinfach and Caersws. Highlights will be performances by National Eisteddfod winners Cor Meibion Machynlleth; an acclaimed one-man show for children on Owain Glyndwr; the idiosyncratic, enigmatic ‘Welsh Whisperer’; and rapper Ed ‘Mr Phormula’ Holden and his magic microphone.

Saturday evening’s gig will feature evergreen troubadour Meic Stevens; ‘Casset’, three talented brothers from Maldwyn; and local entertainers. This will also be an opportunity for local residents to have a last look at the old snooker room before it is converted into a conference centre.

Sunday morning at 11am sees the start of an innovative, experimental ‘Machynlleth Triad’ town tour led by senior pupils of Ysgol Bro Hyddgen based on the eponymous book by Jan Morris and Twm Morys.

Yours etc,

Allan Wynne Jones, Chairman, Canolfan Owain Glyndwr.

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