MARTIN Huws was the winner of the Crown at this year's Eisteddfod y Garreg Las.

The Crown was presented by the family of the Rev WJ Gruffydd (Elerydd) and Mrs Jane Gruffydd in their memory, and in appreciation of the loyalty and generosity shown by the households of the Eisteddfod district during their ministry in the area.

The cash prize of £750 has been donated by the local papur bro (community newspaper) Y Cardi Bach in memory of its former editors, Mrs Rhoswen Llewellyn and the Rev Euros Wyn Jones. The ceremony was supported by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

The Crown was designed and created by Elen and Dylan Bowen, the husband-and-wife team behind Bowen Jewelry, in their workshop in Newcastle Emlyn. It wzas presented for a ‘pryddest’ (free-verse poem) or collection of poems of up to 250 lines on the theme ‘Adnabod’ (Knowing). This year’s adjudicators were Damian Walford Davies, Gwynfor Dafydd and Nia Powell.

Speaking from the stage on behalf of his fellow judges, Damian Walford Davies said: “Forty-one entries were received, comprising both poetry collections and ‘pryddestau’.

“This does not necessarily indicate that contemporary poetry is flourishing and in good health.

“However, it can be said with complete sincerity that this year’s competition displayed considerable richness, both in terms of ideas and craftsmanship.

“This, in turn, prompted careful assessments and difficult decisions for Nia, Gwynfor and me as we sought to distinguish between the poets at the highest levels of the competition.

“It was encouraging to see a wide range of approaches to the set title, ‘Knowing/Recognition’ (Adnabod), with the most sophisticated entries engaging with the theme in contemporary, subtle, indirect and non-dogmatic ways, treating textuality as something to be generated and created rather than unconsciously imitated.”

Discussing Fan-go’s work, he described it as, “A profoundly striking collection in terms of both its subject matter and the bold craftsmanship and creativity of its treatment. It addresses one of the most challenging themes imaginable: a harrowing and timeless subject, namely abuse and violation.”

“‘So close together they came ...’,” I borrow Waldo Williams’ words to record just how competitive the standard at the top was this year. But there can be only one Crown. And there was no doubt whatsoever this year that merit deserved recognition.

“What ultimately led us, after further discussion, to choose Fan-go was our shared view that the power of their daring imagination and their uncompromising treatment of an abyssal theme (and one that is newly explored in our poetry) was impossible to ignore or dismiss. The final decision to award Fan-go the Crown at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las did not feel like a compromise.

“Yes, it is challenging, unsettling and even disturbing. Fan-go was the difficult choice, the demanding choice. Yet the crowning of Fan-go was entirely deserved, not because their work is easy to enjoy or straightforward to process, but because it is necessarily shocking. It demands our time, claims our attention, and rewards the effort we invest in it.”

Originally from Cardiff, Martin Huws has lived in Taff's Well, Rhondda Cynon Taf for more than 30 years. He spent much of his career in journalism, working for Golwg, the Western Mail, and ITV Wales, before being appointed and spending many years as a senior journalist on BBC Cymru's website, Cymru Fyw.

He was chair of his branch of the National Union of Journalists and served as Wales-wide lay health and safety officer. He has been retired for ten years.

He has published two novels, two collections of short stories, a volume of poetry, and a booklet on the history of Cardiff. At the 2007 National Eisteddfod in Flintshire, his novel Mae Heddwch yn Brifo came second in the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize competition.

In 2016 he won the Chair at the Cardigan Festival and the Crown at the Lampeter Eisteddfod.

In 2017 his short-story collection Yr Awyr yn Troi'n Inc came second in the Prose Medal competition at the Anglesey National Eisteddfod.

In 2023, at the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod, he won the competition for composing two contrasting monologues, and in 2024 at the Rhondda Cynon Taf National Eisteddfod he won the comedy script competition. In May of this year, he won the Crown at the Pontrhydfendigaid Eisteddfod.