It must be a great feeling of achievement (and relief!) in a day-long eisteddfod to win a medal before 10 o’clock in the morning writes David Roberts.

For those who achieved this in the junior section of the Abergavenny Young People’s Eisteddfod held at King Henry VIII School on Saturday there was the opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the programme. The morning session, efficiently chaired by Mrs Bronwen Green, was for children aged 5 – 11, who had won preliminary competitions earlier in the week.

Let’s be honest, nobody likes examinations, not even if they are held in the privacy and quiet of a room. Imagine how these young competitors must have felt to undertake what is essentially a practical examination of their skills in front of an audience of their fellow competitors, parents, adjudicators and teachers.

Whatever nerves they may have had before reaching the platform were well hidden as soon as the performance started, when many months’ training and practice took over and polished performances resulted.

Such was the children’s range of talent and willingness to compete that by the middle of the session some were weighed down by medals, as can be seen by the repetition of some names in the results list.

The whole event had been very well organised, a tribute to the unseen work undertaken by members of the organising committee over the winter months.

For the folk dance competitions dancers dressed in period costume, with blue and white being the favoured colours, gave lively performances, clearly enjoying themselves to the sound of traditional Welsh airs. It was a delight to see the tradition thriving.

Things don’t always go according to plan - not even for professionals - but the mark of good performers is how they cope with such events. When the music stopped in the middle of a dance by Deri View School dancers, they continued as if nothing had happened, completely unfazed.

Initially the audience helped by singing along, then Mrs Mairwen Large took over at the piano, capturing from memory the sounds of the blacksmith’s forge in Migldi Magldi and enabling the dancers to complete their performance. Chwarae teg iddyn nhw i gyd!

Instrumental and vocal solos were interspersed with sight reading and recitations in Welsh and English. All the competitors performed with confidence, well accompanied on the piano by a variety of accompanists.

The adjudicators - Lynne Smith (recitation), Ann Smith (music) and Sharon Howell (dance) - had the difficult task of making decisions based on music of very different styles; fortunately all the competitors on stage received a medal and their beaming smiles said it all.

There was a steady flow of competitors and their supporters through King Henry VIII’s school hall during the morning, as is the eisteddfod tradition. In fact the number of people who attended at some stage or other could not have been contained by the hall if everyone had decided to stay throughout the entire proceedings.

Outside the hall entries for the Abergavenny Town Council art and literature competitions had been displayed.

A wide variety of written pieces, models, paintings and photographs had impressed the adjudicators with their high quality. Winners were invited onto the stage during the morning to receive medals from the Mayor of Abergavenny, Councillor Maureen Powell and Councillor Martin Hickman.

The morning session finished with the choral competition. Cantref and Llantilio Pertholey Schools performed "Any Dream Will do" and "Consider Yourself" respectively.

The two pieces were performed to such a high standard, with excellent diction, expression and timing, that they could scarcely have been surpassed on the West End stage. The third school to compete was a newcomer to the Abergavenny Eisteddfod.

Llanfihangel Crucorney School gave a first rate rendition of a traditional Welsh round song, Y Gwcw; they could be serious competitors in either the Urdd or National Eisteddfod.

The winners this year, receiving the coveted Douglas and Edna Edwards Shield from the Mayor, was Cantref School, who have been invited to perform at the Gala Concert which concludes the adult eisteddfod on June 18 in the Borough Theatre.

Afternoon

The afternoon session for 11-18 year olds was presided over by the chair of the eisteddfod committee, Mrs Rosemary Williams. The older competitors – more this year than ever before - showed a mature familiarity with eisteddfod practice.

Despite the competitive atmosphere, everyone remained friendly, each gracefully recognising the other’s achievement – an attitude typical of seasoned eisteddfodwyr.

There was a great deal of talent on display which will no doubt develop further with maturity. In years to come will people say, "I remember hearing him/her at the Abergavenny eisteddfod"?!

The adjudicators, Helen May (voice), Dennis Simons (instrumental) and Jeff Davies (spoken word) had a difficult task in ranking performers when there were often only minor differences between them, most of which a mystery to non-specialists. On one occasion, the adjudicator found the task so hard that he had to leave the hall to concentrate!

At the end of the afternoon session the adjudicators selected three acts to perform

during the adult eisteddfod on the 18th June: Katie and Lisa Davies (flute and harp) for a moving rendition of "The Swan" from Swan Lake; Oliver Skinner for his polished performance of "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" from Les Miserables; and Bethan Langford for her forceful recitation of "The Serpent’s Tale" by Leonid Andreyev.

Mrs Williams thanked the competitors, their coaches and teachers for their efforts in presenting such impressive performances, and parents for their support and encouragement.

The adjudicators were also thanked for their constructive comments and for making the eisteddfod more than just a concert. Special thanks were given to Colin and Hilary Beynon for organising the secondary competitions.

In conclusion Mrs Williams thanked the staff of King Henry VIII School for allowing the use of the school hall as a venue for the eisteddfod, and two students – Aaron Dainton and Steele Quinnell – for their mastery of the sound system.

The eisteddfod closed with a superb rendition of Eryr Pengwern (The Eagle of Pengwern) by a choir from Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw. The words, linked to a 9th Century poem by Llywarch Hen, recorded in Llyfr Coch Hergest - the Red Book of Hergest, near Kington in the present county of Hereford, refer to the aftermath of a battle between the Welsh and invaders at Pengwern, now part of Shropshire.

They are written in Old Welsh but still understandable to speakers of modern Welsh, reminding us of the language’s ancient heritage – a fitting choice to end a full, rewarding and bilingual day.

Llond y byd o fedalau!

Roedd mwy o fedalau i’w gweld yn Eisteddfod y Fenni i’r plant a’r bobl ifanc ddydd Sadwrn, 30ain Ebrill nag yn y Gemau Olympaidd - ac roedd pob enillydd yn eu haeddu. Yn wir, mae’n ddirgelwch sut yr oedd rhai yn gallu cario’r holl bwysau! Medalau oedd gwobrau’r plant dan un ar ddeg, ac arian yn mynd i’r bobl ifainc rhwng 11 – 18 oed; dangosai eu hwynebau hapus eu bod yn ddigon bodlon â’r drefn!

Uchel iawn oedd safon y cystadleuwyr eleni; rhaid diolch am hyn nid yn unig i’r cystadleuwyr, ond i’w rhieni a’u hathrawon hefyd. A diolch iddyn nhw am ddod i gefnogi’r cystadleuwyr ar y diwrnod, gan greu awyrgylch bywiog a chystadleuol yn neuadd Ysgol Brenin Harri’r VIIIfed, gyda phawb yn mwynhau’r rhaglen amrywiol.

Trefnwyd cystadlaethau ysgrifenedig, celf a chrefft gan Gyngor Tref y Fenni. Cafwyd ymateb arbennig o dda, a’r beirniaid yn dweud bod y safon yn ganmoladwy iawn. Rhoddwyd arddangosfa o ffotograffau, gwaith celf, storïau a cherddi yr enillwyr yn y cyntedd i’r gynulleidfa gael eu hedmygu yn ystod y dydd, a chyflwynwyd medalau a gwobrau ariannol gan y Faeres, y Cynghorydd Maureen Powell a’r Cynghorydd Martin Hickman ar ran Cyngor y Dref.

Mae traddodiad eisteddfodol cryf yn y Fenni a ddaeth i ben yn ystod y ganrif ddiwethaf. Ail sefydlwyd Eisteddfod y Fenni bedair mlynedd ar ddeg yn ôl gan Gynghorwyr y Dref Douglas ac Edna Edwards, ac ers hynny mae hi wedi mynd o nerth i nerth.

Tro’r oedolion fydd hi nesaf, gyda chyngerdd mawreddog yr Eisteddfod yn Theatr Bwrdeistref y Fenni ddydd Sadwrn y 18fed o Fehefin am 7 o’r gloch yr hwyr. Yn ogystal â’r oedolion a fydd yn cystadlu, bydd côr buddugol yr ysgolion cynradd, sef Ysgol Cantref, yn diddanu’r gynulleidfa a hefyd dri pherfformiad gorau eisteddfod y bobl ifanc, a ddewiswyd gan y beirniaid yn ystod prynhawn dydd Sadwrn. Cafwyd perfformiadau gwych gan nifer o bobl ifanc, a’r rhai ddaeth i’r brig oedd: Katie a Lisa Davies (ffliwt a thelyn) am eu datganiad hyfryd o’r ’Alarch’ o ’Swan Lake’; Oliver Skinner a ganodd ’Empty Chairs and Empty Tables’ o ’Les Miserables’ a Bethan Langford am ei hadroddiad o ’The Serpent’s Tale’ gan Leonid Andreyev. Dewch i’w cefnogi, byddwch chi’n siwr o gael noson wrth eich boddau. Mae mynediad yn rhad ac am ddim eleni, ond rhaid cael tocyn o’r Theatr cyn y noson fawr. Dewch a mwynhewch!

RESULTS

Children aged

5 -11

Solo recitation yrs 1-3 / Unawd llefaru bl 1-3: 1 - Gwenan Dickenson, 2 - Holly Bisson, 3 - Nia Parry; Solo vocal yrs 1-3 / Unawd lleisiol bl 1-3: 1 - Gwenan Dickenson, 2 - Beatrice Reeder, 3 - Sophia Elias; Group folk dance yrs 1-3 / Grwp dawnsio gwerin bl 1-3: 1 - Cantref Blorenge, 2 - Cantref Sugar Loaf; Solo recitation for Welsh learners yrs 1-3 / Unawd llefaru i ddysgwyr bl 1-3: 1 - Holly Bisson; Solo recitation yrs 4-6 / Unawd llefaru bl 4-6: 1 - Catrin Hodder, 2 - Manon Higgins, 3 - Tomos Hobbs; Instrumental solo yrs 1-3 / Unawd offerynnol bl 1-3: 1 - Holly Bisson; Solo voice yrs 4-6 / Unawd lleisiol bl 4-6: 1 - Miranda Newsam, =2 Anwen Skinner & Catrin Hodder; Piano solo yrs 4-6 / Unawd piano bl 4-6: 1 - Seren Howells, 2 - Bethan Jones Parry, 3 - Joseph Barnes; Group folk dance yrs 4-6 / Grwp dawnsio gwerin bl 4-6: 1 - Severn (Cantref), 2 - Usk (Cantref), 3 - Deri View; Sight reading yrs 4-6 / Darllen ar yr olwg gyntaf bl 4-6: 1 - Bethan Jones Parry, 2 - Catrin Hodder, 3 - Manon Higgins; Instrumental solo yrs 4-6 / Unawd offerynnol bl 4-6: 1 - Robert Fookes, =2 - Oliver Charrington & Freddie Milne; Solo recitation for Welsh learners yrs 4-6 / Unawd llefaru i ddysgwyr bl 4-6: 1 - Darcie Rowley, 2 - Bethan Jones Parry, 3 - Amelia Prosser; Group recitation yr 6 and under / Grwp llefaru bl 6 ac iau: 1 - Llantilio Pertholey School; Instrumental ensemble / Ensemble offerynnol: 1 - Llantilio Recorders, 2 - Grwp Celtaidd, 3 - Cantref Orchestra; Instrumental duet / Deuawd offerynnol: 1 - Darcie & Jayne, 2 - Anna & Georgia, 3 - Mari, Efa a Catrin; Group disco dance yrs 4-6 / Grwp dawnsio disco bl 4-6: 1 - Y Merched, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 - Deri View; Unison or 2 part choir / Côr unsain neu ddau lais: 1 - Cantref, 2 - Llantilio Pertholey, 3 - Llanfihangel Crucorney.

AGED 11-18

Choral group/ Côr 11-18: 1 - Côr Gwynllyw; Recitation for Welsh learners / Llefaru i ddysgwyr 11-14: 1 - Christine Taylor;  Piano solo / Unawd piano 11-14: 1 - Abbie Williams, 2 - Courtney Matthews, 3 - Bronwen Clatworthy; Recitation or monologue in English or Welsh (first language) / Llefaru (iaith gyntaf) 11-14: 1 - Ioan Higgins, 2 - Rose Graham, 3 - Rowena Smith; Solo vocal / Unawd lleisiol 11-14: 1 - Cerian Baulch, 2 - Tegan Theobald, 3 - Chloe Tapper; Music composition / Cyfansoddiad: 1 - Lloyd Cotrell, 2 - Katie Davies, 3 - Ella Somers; Instrumental solo / Unawd offerynnol 11-14: 1 - Rose Graham; 2 - Serenni Morgan, 3 - Ioan Higgins; Reading at sight age / Darllen ar yr olwg gyntaf 11-14: 1 - Kai Fish, 2 - Ioan Higgins, 3 - Rose Graham; Solo vocal / Unawd lleisiol 15-18: 1 - Oliver Skinner, 2 - Sarah Pugh, 3 - Megan Thomas; Free dance / Dawns rydd 11-14: 1 - Phoebe Jenkins & Mya Pooles; Instrumental solo / Unawd offerynnol 15-18: 1 - Katie Davies, 2 - Cara Newsam; Reading at sight / Darllen ar yr olwg gyntaf 15-18: 1 - Bethan Langford; Instrumental and/or vocal ensemble / Ensemble offerynnol neu leisiol 11-18: 1 - Katie & Lisa Davies, 2 - Sarah Pugh & Eleanor Titley, 3 - Ioan Higgins, Rowena Smith & Georgina Belcher; Story and Mime / Stori a Meim 11-18: 1 - Grwp Kai; Story telling / Dweud stori 11-18: 1 - Rose Graham, 2 - Lily Newsam; Recitation or monologue in English or Welsh (first language) / Llefaru (iaith gyntaf) 15-18: 1 - Bethan Langford, 2 - Abby Newton.

ENGLISH

LITERATURE / LLENYDDIAETH SAESNEG

Poetry / Barddoniaeth

Years 3-4: 1 Elinor Cooke, Cantref, 2 Manon Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 3 Alfie Allmond, Cantref. Years 5-6: 1 Logan Williams, Cantref, 2 Paige Thomas, Cantref. Years 7-11: 1 Morganna Davies, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, 2 Morgan Collins, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, 3 Rose Graham, Crickhowell

Short story / Stori fer

Years 7-11: 1 Morganna Davies, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw

Factual writing / Ysgrifennu Ffeithiol

Years 1-2: 1 Cameron Gilchrist, Cross Ash, 2 Destan Yamen, Deri View, 3 Jasmine Flowers, Deri View. Years 3-4: 1 Erin Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 Keeley Staniec, Deri View, 3 Alastair Gilchrist, Cross Ash Years 5-6: 1 Melody Woolley, Deri View, 2 Natasha Mia Hughes, Deri View, 3 Tyana Davies, Deri View/

Years 7-11: 1 Ioan Higgins, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw

Factual booklet / Taflen Wybodaeth

Years 3- 4: 1 Manon Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 Erin Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 3 Sofia Spantarelli, Our Lady & St Michael’s. Years 5 and 6: 1 Ashton, Deri View, 2 Joseph Caralan, Deri View.

Posters / Posteri

Years 3-4: 1 Freya Evans, Our Lady & St Michael’s, 2 Jessica Elias, Our Lady & St Michael’s, 3 Garrett Jones, Cantref Primary.

WELSH

LITERATURE / LLENYDDIAETH GYMRAEG

Poetry / Barddoniaeth

Bl 3-4: 1 Manon Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 Erin Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni.

Bl 7-11: 1 Rose Graham, Ysgol Gyfun Crughywel, 2 Ioan Higgins, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, 3 Lydia Morris, Ysgol Brenin Harri’r VIII.

Information Leaflet /Taflen Wybodaeth

Bl 3-4: 1 Erin Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 Manon Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 3 Beatrice Reeder, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni. Bl 7 -11: 1 Ioan Higgins, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw.

Story / Stori

Bl 3-4: 1 Erin Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 2 Manon Higgins, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni

Bl 7-11: 1 Morganna Davies, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw

ART / CELF

Years 1-2: 1 Ella Driscoll, Llanvihangel Crucorney, 2 Ryan Parry, Deri View, 3 Riley Davies, Deri View. Years 3-4: 1 Jessica Elias, Our Lady & St Michael’s, 2 Alastair Gilchrist, Cross Ash, 3 Jessica Hawes, Our Lady & St Michael’s. Years 5-6: 1 Finn Morgan Spree, Deri View, 2 Tess Brunsdon, Cantref, 3 Dylan Pantry, Deri View. Yrs 7-11: 1 Arianna Scarpetta, King Henry VIII, 2 Esyllt Williams, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw,

=3 Cerys Jones, King Henry VIII, =3 Tiarna Harris, King Henry VIII

PHOTOGRAPHY / FFOTOGRAFFIAETH

Yrs 1-2: 1 Cameron Gilchrist, Cross Ash. Yrs 3-4: 1 Samuel Moebus, Raglan Primary School, 2 Alastair Gilchrist, Cross Ash. Yrs 5-6: 1 Maxwell Moebus, Raglan Primary School. Yrs 7-11: 1 Lydia Morris, King Henry VIII.

MODELS/

MODELAU

Yrs 1-2: 1 Ruby Davies, Deri View, 2 Sean Rolls, Deri View, 3 Jaden Thomas, Deri View. Yrs 3-4: =1 Dylan Moncrieff, Deri View, =1 Angel Richards, Deri View, 2 Beatrice Reeder, Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, 3 Rhys Wood, Deri View. Yrs 5-6: 1 Ella Richards, Deri View, 2 Millie Beaumont, Deri View, 3 Thomas Lang, Deri View.