DENBIGH'S new mayor is looking forward to the Urdd Eisteddfod finally taking place in the town.
Cllr Alyn Ashworth took over from Cllr Rhys Thomas as the town's new mayor last Friday and attention is already on next week's major festival.
"As the Mayor, a native of the very-non-Welsh Manchester, but someone who spent many years at the Welsh Language Centre here in Denbigh and at Nant Gwrtheyrn, I feel I may have a slightly different slant on Welsh culture than a native Welsh speaker," said Cllr Ashworth.
"I appreciate the intense “hiraeth”, or longing that my friends, neighbours and constituents feel for their native land, and it is inevitable that it has rubbed off on me in some way.
"And so I am convinced that the concept of the Urdd is extremely important to maintaining the cultural and national identity of Wales.
"After all, it was Aristotle, two-and-a-half thousand years ago, who said “Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man”, and it is this philosophy which the Urdd has so successfully sought to continue and expand over the last 100 years - quite a record of ongoing success.
"This is reflected in the fact that the previous physical Eisteddfod in Cardiff in 2019 attracted over 100,000 visitors, as well as the 70,000+ young people who registered to take part."
Cllr Ashworth hopes young people from across the country will enjoy their time at the Eisteddfod.
"As a Welsh learner back in 2013, I was privileged to take part in the National Eisteddfod when it came to Denbigh, and so I have a little first-hand experience of how stimulating and exciting this can be, even for a relatively ancient soul," he added.
"Therefore, I trust that young people taking part in the Urdd this year here in Denbigh will have an experience infinitely more memorable.
"We have all suffered from the problems of the last couple of years, and it is encouraging that our return to a “proper” Urdd Eisteddfod, as opposed to an online one, is taking place in our community.
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"This will of course be of considerable benefit to local businesses, in recognition of which Denbighshire County Council has made free parking available over the period of the Eisteddfod in Denbigh.
"Online connections are no substitute for face-to-face meetings, and I hope that this return to the real world will do something to make up for the experiences which young people have missed out on.
"Denbigh Town Council has been proud to support the Urdd, and as Mayor I will do all I can to encourage young people to take part in all and any aspects of life here in Denbigh and more widely in Wales.
"On behalf of the Town Council, I wish the Urdd Eisteddfod every success."
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