A MARRIED couple from Talybont who founded Y Lolfa Press, will lead this year’s St David’s Day Parade in Aberystwyth.

Enid and Robat Gruffudd, founders of Talybont’s Y Lolfa Press, will lead this year’s annual Aberystwyth St David’s Day Parade which will be held on Saturday 5 March.

The Parade recognises their contribution as founders of leading Welsh-language publishing and publishing companies employing two dozen of staff.

Robat is also a writer and campaigner, and Enid is known for her work with the local press and community.

A ’Tywydydd’ (Guide) privilege is given at every St David’s Day parade since its inception in 2013 and they will lead the Parade through the town of Aberystwyth. It signals the gratitude and appreciation of the Aberystwyth community to a local person or persons who have made an important contribution to the language and culture of Wales.

Coincidentally, Robat and Enid were born in Llwyn-y-pia, Rhondda, within a month of each another, but Enid grew up in Dinas Terrace, Trefechan, Aberystwyth, while Robat was brought up in Swansea to a Welsh father and German Jewish mother who’d escaped Nazi Germany.

Robat founded the satirical and iconic magazine, Lol in 1965 in Bangor with his friend, the late author, Penri Jones. The magazine was controversial and shook Welsh society. It was part of the political and cultural movement that dragged the Welsh language to make it contemporary and a young people’s language. Robat went on to establish Gwasg Y Lolfa press and publishing firm in 1967 in Tal-y-bont and the company is now run by their sons Garmon and Levi; their eldest son Einion works at the National Library in Aberystwyth.

The Lolfa not only publishes popular books in English and Welsh, but Robat himself is also the author of a number of novels, a volume of poetry and Lolian, a half-century diary. Welsh culture and politics and the Welsh language have always been important to Robat, and he - along with Enid - attended the famous Welsh Language Society protest at Trefechan Bridge in 1963 when the mass movement for Welsh language rights began.

Enid worked as a teacher in Talybont before raising a family there and working in the Lolfa for periods while taking part in protests for the Welsh language and against nuclear weapons.

Parade Chair Siôn Jobbins said: "We are delighted that Robat and Enid Gruffudd have agreed to be the Tywyswyr this year. The contribution of both in establishing and running Y Lolfa press is immense. The press brought a new spirit to Welsh culture but she has also made a huge contribution in publishing hundreds of books in English explaining Wales to an international audience. Robat and Enid’s decision to establish the press in Tal-y-bont was part of a nationalist philosophy to create work in rural Welsh-speaking areas is vital. The company grew into a prominent employer in north Ceredigion bringing good, professional jobs to the area,”says Siôn Jobbins

Robat said: "Leading the Parade will be a privilege and a pleasure for us. It will be an honor to follow the lineage of the great Tywyswyr who preceded us. But more important than our contribution to the Welsh life of the area, is the key contribution of the area and its Welshness to our success as a press. We can’t imagine the Lolfa flourishing anywhere else in Wales, but in Tal-y-bont. ”

Parade Details – route

The 2020 Parade will be held on Saturday 5 March. It will start at the town Clock, then proceed to the bottom of Great Darkgate St before turning left onto Terrace Rd at Barclays Bank before finishing at Llys y Brenin. The parts of Bath St and Marine Terrace which border Llys-y-Brenin will be closed to traffic for the duration of the ceremony for safety reasons.

The Parade will be a musical and colourful event and individuals and local groups are invited to join the parade and show their support for the Welsh language, St David and Welsh culture.

Sponsors:

The organising committee is extremely grateful to our main sponsors – Aberystwyth Town Council. They are also grateful to the support of individuals and other clubs and societies in Aberystwyth who have made it possible to hold this vibrant and uplifting event again this year.

Past Tywyswyr:

Robat and Enid will follow in the footsteps of Meirion Appleton (2020), the popular Gannet’s Bistro owner, Dilys Mildon (2019); the academic, author and activist Ned Thomas (2018), the performer and charity supporter, Glan Davies (2017); artist Mary Lloyd Jones (2016); author and first headmaster of Penweddig, Gerald Morgan (2015); Megan and Gwilym Tudur, founders and proprietors of Siop y Pethe (2014) and the late academic and musician Dr Meredydd Evans of Cwm Ystwyth in 2013. As the ‘Tywysydd’ (guide) Robat and Enid will wear a specially commissioned Parêd sash by Caroline Goodband of Machynlleth, which includes the names of previous Tywyswyr. He will also be awarded a specially commissioned walking stick by the late Capel Dewi resident, Hywel Evans. Presenting the walking stick follows a Basque tradition of giving esteemed people a specially commissioned walking stick.