Urdd Eisteddfod set to host its chairing ceremony

This year, the competitors were tasked with composing a poem or strict metre or vers libre poems, of no more than 100 lines on the theme: ‘Thank you’.

Judges are Eurig Salisbury and Peredur Lynch.

Rhodri Owen, from Ysbyty Ifan is the chair designer.

Creating the chair for the Eisteddfod in the Urdd’s centenary year was very important to him, as well as reflecting the Eisteddfod’s region and its young people.

The chair is sponsored by Ysgol Uwchradd Glan Clwyd.

As the first Welsh medium secondary school in Wales, celebrating the growth and innovation of new generations of Welsh people was an integral part of the brief.

The chairing ceremony is sponsored by the Ivor and Aeres Evans Charitable Trust.

The three finalists are Ciarán Eynon, Gruff Gwyn and Tegwen Bruce-Deans.

After completing his A-levels at Ysgol y Creuddyn in Penrhyn Bay, Ciarán went on to study mathematics at Warwick University and then Welsh and Celtic Studies MA at Cardiff University.

Ciarán was runner up in the Chair competition and third in the prose competition in Eisteddfod T 2021.

He’s a familiar face on the stage, winning first place in the reciting competition at the Anglesey National Eisteddfod in 2017 and the AmGen Eisteddfod in 2021.

READ: President Bryn's turning up the heat on the Maes!

He was the first ‘Ffosfforws’ publisher – a new poetry journal published by ‘Y Stamp’ magazine.

Gruff was born in Dolgellau before moving to Machen (on the outskirts of Caerphilly) when he was 10 years old.

A former primary pupil at Ysgol Gymraeg Caerffil and Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni secondary pupil, he graduated in film and English studies at Aberystwyth University and now works as a translator for Natural Resources Wales.

In his spare time, he enjoys mountaineering, playing the guitar and is a keen runner. He’s been inspired by family member to write, including his mother and father and his grandfather T Gwynn Jones, Fishguard and cousin Steff.

He won the youngster prize at the Cardiff National Eisteddfod in 2019.
Tegwen is from a non-Welsh speaking family from London and was raised in Llandrindod, Maesyfed.

She was educated at Welsh medium school Ysgol Gynradd Trefonnen and Ysgol Uwchradd Llanfair-ym-Muallt and has recently completed her final year at Bangor University studying Welsh.

She works as a researcher for BBC Radio Cymru and is a freelance music journalist.

She combines her passion for writing with her love of music, driven by a lack of female representation in the Welsh music scene.

She came third in the Chair competition at last year's Eisteddfod T.

The main ceremony will be held at 3pm on the Cyfrwy stage.