Bangor University student success at the first ever virtual Urdd Eisteddfod

This year, the usual format of the Urdd Eisteddfod had to be adapted due to the Covid-19 situation, and the first ever virtual Eisteddfod was held - Eisteddfod T.

The Eisteddfod attracted over 6,000 competitors in more than 80 competitions, with Bangor University students claiming many victories.

Cai Fôn Davies, a second-year student studying Welsh and History, had several notable successes. He came first in the individual voice (under 25) competition, third in the Cerdd Dant (under 25) competition and won the prestigious Main Composer title. A familiar face to the Urdd National Eisteddfod, Cai has been competing successfully from an early age. He is also one of the six who competed for the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Bryn Terfel Scholarship last year, having won first prize in the Cardiff and Vale Urdd Eisteddfod recitation competition in 2019.

Lleucu Arfon, a third-year Welsh and Music student, came first in the Cerdd Dant (under 25) competition. Lleucu has been competing successfully at Eisteddfodau for many years.

The first prize in the Theatre, Musical and Parody 19-25 competition went to Mali Elwy, a first-year student at the School of Welsh and Celtic Studies, with the second prize going to Ioan Rees, a third-year student at the School of Music and Media.

Ioan also came third in the Theatre, Musical and Parody (Year 7 – under 25) competition with his sister, Gwen Rees.

Aelwyd JMJ, the Urdd Aelwyd of Bangor University’s Welsh-medium Halls of Residence, came second in the Choir (14-25 years) competition with a mesmerizing performance of Robat Alwyn’s ‘Yn Llygad y Llew’, accompanied by Elain Rhys.

Mared Fflur Jones, who is on her second year of her Welsh degree, won the main literary award at the Eisteddfod T, with a piece "full of love and anguish" according to the judge, renowned author Manon Steffan Ros. She is an experienced eisteddfod winner - winning the chair at a school eisteddfod at Ysgol y Gader and has come second and third for the chair at the Meirionnydd Young Farmers Eisteddfod.

The main poetry award went to alumnus,  Osian Owen. Osian graduated with a first-class BA (hons) Welsh degree from the School of Welsh and Celtic Studies in 2018 and should have received his MA next month. A familiar face to the Urdd, he was the winner of the Chair at the Urdd National Eisteddfod, Brecon and Radnorshire in 2018. Osian also came third in the literary award competition.

Reflecting on this latest success for Aelwyd JMJ, Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Bangor President, Lleucu Myrddin, said:

"It was great to see that the Urdd succeeded in adapting the Urdd Eisteddfod that we are so used to, to work so well online in the form of Eisteddfod T. It was even better to see that our students took on the challenge of competing in very different circumstances with little opportunity to prepare and were so successful in doing so. There were victories in several competitions, from individual performances to the Aelwyd JMJ choir and of course, the main prizes. There is no doubt that our students have defended our reputation on the Urdd national platform again this year. Huge congratulations to everyone who competed!"

Follow these links to watch the performances on S4C’s YouTube channel:

Publication date: 29 May 2020