Eisteddfod Y Fenni

Rhwng 1834 a 1853, trefnwyd 10 eisteddfod yn Y Fenni gan Gymreigyddion Y Fenni,  cymdeithas sy’n dal i gyfarfod hyd heddiw. Noddwyd yr eisteddfodau hyn gan Augusta Hall, Arglwyddes Llanofer, a adwanenid hefyd wrth ei henw barddol Gwenynen Gwent. Cafodd Arglwyddes Llanofer gryn ddylanwad ar ddiwylliant gwerin Cymru, er ei bod o dras Saesnig, trwy hybu’r wisg Gymreig draddodiadol yn ogystal â chaneuon gwerin a’r delyn deires.

Cefnogwyd Gwenynen Gwent yn ei hymdrechion diwylliannol gan ei gŵr, Syr Benjamin Hall (a roddodd ei enw i “Big Ben” Westminster) a chan Thomas Price, neu Carnhuanawc, un o gewri’r bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg. Gweithiodd ef, fel Arglwyddes Llanofer, yn ddygn dros yr iaith Gymraeg mewn oes lle nad arddeliad o’r fath yn boblogaidd nac yn ffasiynol o gwbl.

Cynigiodd Arglwyddes Llanofer a’i grŵp wobrau hael dros ben i ennillwyr Eisteddfodau’r Fenni, weithiau cymaint ag 80 gini. Daeth cystadleuwyr o bell, ac roeddent yn cynnwys ysgolheigion Celtaidd o wledydd Ewrop ynghyd â llenorion o Gymry amlwg.

Yn 2002, ailgychwynwyd Eisteddfod Y Fenni gan grŵp lleol dan arweiniad Cynghorydd y Dref Douglas Edwards a’i wraig Edna, gyda Mrs Bronwen Green, Prifathrawes Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni. O 2003 ymlaen Ceri Thomas oedd cadeirydd y grŵp, ac yn 2012 etholwyd Rosemary Williams i’r swydd.

Ar y dechrau dim ond plant ysgol o ysgolion lleol oedd yn cystadlu, a chynhaliwyd y cystadleuthau i gyd yn yr Ysgol gyfun leol, Ysgol Brenin Harri’r VIII. O 2003 ymlaen, dechreuwyd cynnwys cystadleuthau i oedolion, ac yn 2004 symudwyd cystadleuthau’r oedolion i Theatr y Bwrdeistref, lleoliad sy’n gweddu’n dda i noson o gystadlu amrywiol o’r safon orau.

Y Traddodiad Eisteddfodol

Mae`r traddodiad o gynnal eisteddfodau yn un hen, hen iawn. Ystyr gwreiddiol eisteddfod oedd cynhadledd o bobl, yna casgliad o feirdd ac ymhen amser gŵyl yn cynnwys elfennau diwylliannol, nid anhebyg i`r gweithgareddau a welwn heddiw mewn eisteddfodau ledled Cymru.

Cynhaliwyd cyfarfod o feirdd a cherddorion yng nghastell Aberteifi ym 1176, ac yn ôl rhai dyma`r eisteddfod gyntaf mewn hanes. Ond mae`n sicrach mai cyfarfodydd tebyg i hyn yng Nghaerfyrddin tua 1451 ac yng Nghaerwys, ger Treffynnon, Sir Fflint ym 1523 a 1567 yw gwir darddiad yr eisteddfod fel yr adwaenir hi yng Nghymru fodern. Yng nghyfnod eisteddfodau Caerfyrddin a Chaerwys y sefydlwyd cyfundrefn o feirdd ynghyd á`r drefn fydryddol a sefydlu galwedigaeth beirdd yn ffurfiol.

Nid oes hanes eisteddfodol yn dilyn wedyn tan y ddeunawfed ganrif. Yn niwedd yr ail ganrif ar bymtheg dechreuwyd cyhoeddi Almanaciau, llyfrynnau rhad yn darogan y tywydd, darllen y sêr a chyhoeddi mân ddarnau o farddoniaeth a charolau. Ym 1701 trefnwyd eisteddfod gan un o gyhoeddwyr yr Almanaciau hyn, sef Thomas Jones, ym Machynlleth. Fe`i dilynwyd gan eraill yn Llandegla ym 1719, Dolgellau ym 1734 a`r Bala ym 1738.

Ychydig yn ddiweddarach aeth Edward Williams (1747-1826), sef Iolo Morgannwg, ati i ddyfeisio trefn dderwyddol newydd a sefydlu cyfundrefn a alwyd Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain. Yn fuan wedyn cafodd y mudiad eisteddfodol hwb newydd mewn sawl talaith yng Nhymru, yn bennaf trwy weithgareddau Cymdeithasau`r Cymreigyddion, gan gynnwys Cymreigyddion y Fenni, a sefydlwyd ym 1833. O hyn ymlaen tan 1854 cynhaliwyd deg eisteddfod yn Abergafenni. Ar gychwyn pob eisteddfod cafwyd gorymdeithiau ysblennydd o gyrion y dre hyd at Westy`r Angel.

Cynhaliwyd yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol gyntaf yn Aberdâr ym 1861, ond ni chafwyd olyniaeth o eisteddfodau cenedlaethol tan 1881 gydag Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Merthyr Tudful. Byth er hynny cynhaliwyd Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn flynyddol ag eithrio 1914 a 1940 adeg y ddau ryfel byd.

Heddiw cynhelir nifer fawr o eisteddfodau lleol a chenedlaethol ledled Cymru, yn cynnwys Eisteddfod yr Urdd i bobl ifainc ac Eisteddfod Gerddorol Ryngwladol Llangollen a gynhelir yn y dref honno pob mis Gorffennaf. Cynhaliwyd yr Eisteddfod Ryngwladol gyntaf ym 1947, gyda’r nod o hybu heddwch rhwng y cenhedloedd ar ôl yr ail ryfel byd. Denir 2,500 o gystadleuwyr o dros 40 gwlad i Langollen ar gyfer yr wythnos hon, heb sôn am niferoedd mawr o ymwelwyr sy’n dod i fwynhau’r achlysur.

Abergavenny Eisteddfod History

Between 1834 and 1853, ten eisteddfodau were held in Abergavenny, organised by Cymreigyddion Y Fenni, the Welsh language society which still meets today. The eisteddfodau were sponsored by Augusta Hall, the famous Lady Llanover, also known by her bardic name Gwenynen Gwent. Lady Llanover is perhaps best known for creating the image of what came to be regarded as the traditional Welsh costume, as well as for her support of Welsh harp music and folk songs.

In her patronage of the Abergavenny eisteddfodau, Lady Llanover was supported by her husband, Sir Benjamin Hall (of Westminster`s “Big Ben” fame) and by Thomas Price, “Carnhuanawc,” one of the greatest Welshmen of the nineteenth century. He, like Lady Llanover, was a fervent advocate for the Welsh language in an age where Britain`s minority languages were far from being a popular cause.

Lady Llanover and her husband offered very substantial prizes at the Abergavenny eisteddfodau, sometimes as much as eighty guineas. Competitors included some of the greatest European Celtic scholars, as well as major Welsh literary figures of the day.

In 2002, the Abergavenny eisteddfod was revived by a local group led by local town councillor Douglas Edwards and his wife Edna, together with head teacher of Abergavenny`s Welsh primary school Mrs Bronwen Green. In 2003 Ceri Thomas took over the chairmanship of the eisteddfod committee from Bronwen Green, and since 2012 the post has been held by Rosemary Williams. 

Initially competitors were invited from local schools, with competitions being held at King Henry VIII Comprehensive School. From 2003 onwards, adult competitors have also been attracted, from all over Wales and beyond, and from 2004 onwards the evening competitions have been held at the town`s Borough Theatre. 

Eisteddfod Tradition

The eisteddfod tradition is very old. The original meaning of the word “eisteddfod” was a gathering of people “sitting together,” then a tournament of bards competing against each other for much-prized patronage by wealthy noblemen. In time it became a festival celebrating Welsh art, language and culture, similar to what we see today in eisteddfodau throughout Wales.

According to some the first eisteddfod in history was held at Lord Rhys ap Gruffudd’s castle in Cardigan in 1176. What is more certain is that the eisteddfod as we know it was strongly influenced by competitive events in Carmarthen around 1451 and Caerwys in 1523 and 1567. It was during this period that the patronage system was regulated and poets and musicians were graded according to their rank and status.

We know little about the subsequent history of the eisteddfod until the end of the 17th century. At that time almanacks began to be printed, cheap leaflets which foretold the weather, gave astrological readings and published poetry and carols. In 1701 Thomas Jones, an almanack publisher, organised an eisteddfod in Machynlleth. This was followed by others in Llandegla in 1719, Dolgellau in 1734 and Bala in 1738.

A little later Edward Williams, known as Iolo Morgannwg, decided to establish a new bardic tradition called “Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain.” He was linked with an Eisteddfod of historic significance held at the Ivy Bush Inn in Carmarthen at the beginning of the 19th century. By this time, the Eisteddfod was no longer confined to poetry but had developed into a fully fledged folk festival on a much larger scale.

The eisteddfod movement received a boost in several areas in Wales through the work of the Cymreigyddion Societies, including the Abergavenny Cymreigyddion, established in 1833 and still active. The first National Eisteddfod as we recognise it today was held at Aberdare in Mid Glamorgan in 1861. In 1880 the National Eisteddfod Association was formed and charged with the responsibility of staging an annual festival. The National Eisteddfod has been held annually ever since, with the exception of the war years 1914 and 1940.

Wales has other national and local Eisteddfodau, including the Urdd National Eisteddfod (for young people) and the International Musical Eisteddfod, held each July in Llangollen. The first International Musical Eisteddfod was held in 1947, with the aim of promoting peace between nations after the second world war through the international language of music. This week-long Eisteddfod attracts 2,500 competitors from over 40 countries.