A ceremony at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire today (Friday, 3 June) saw Twm Ebbsworth from Ceredigion crowned as the festival’s Chief Prose Writer.

In second place was Osian Wynn Davies from Llanfairpwll, Anglesey (and winner of the playwright award) and Elain Roberts from New Quay, Ceredigion taking third place.

The task this year was to write a piece or pieces of prose over 2, 500 words on the theme ‘Llen/Llenni’ (cover/covers). Seven entries were received, and the judges, Sian Northey and Gwenno Mair Davies “really enjoyed reading every one of them.

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Sian Northey was full of praise for the winning entry: “We were in complete agreement that the first prize, and the Denbighshire Eisteddfod crown, is awarded to Pysgodyn Aur – a mature and skilled writer who led us on a wild and unusual journey. It was a very unusual piece, it was surreal and full of dark humour which appealed to the both of us from the very first reading. Congratulations.”

Twm received a beautiful crown created especially by the sculptor Ann Catrin Evans, and given by Cymdeithas Gymraeg Dinbych (Denbigh Welsh Society).

 Twm comes from Llanwnnen, near Lampeter in Ceredigion.

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 He is about to complete a postgraduate course at the School of Welsh in Aberystwyth. A member of Llanwenog Young Farmers Club, he won the Wales YFC Eisteddfod Chair in 2019, as well as two Inter-College Eisteddfod crowns in 2020 and 2022.

He loves playing the guitar and plays football for the Geltaidd team in Aberystwyth as well as local team Sêr Dewi.

Twm said: “I’d like to thank my former teachers for their support and inspiration; especially Mrs Delor James, former Head of the Welsh Department at Bro Pedr, for her constant encouragement and Eurig Salisbury from the University for his support. And of course, I’d like to thank my friends and family for their friendship, patience and support, especially Lleucu, Mam, Dad and Guto.”

The top three will be invited to take part in a course at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre in memory of Olwen Dafydd. This is made possible through the Olwen Griffith Trust.

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The crowning ceremony was sponsored by housing association Grŵp Cynefin.

Shan Lloyd Williams, Grŵp Cynefin’s Chief Executive, said: “Grŵp Cynefin is very proud to be the Main Sponsor of one of the festival’s highlights, the Denbighshire Urdd Eisteddfod’s Main Literary Award ceremony. Denbigh and the area are very important to Grŵp Cynefin.

“Tŷ John Glyn, one of our main offices is in the centre of the town and many of our staff members and customers live in the area. HWB Dinbych is a Grŵp Cynefin partnership – a vitally important centre offering all kinds of courses, schemes, support and education to the community, especially young people in the area.

“This year saw the opening of Awel y Dyffryn in Denbigh – our largest extra care housing scheme to date, providing a warm and supportive community to the older people in the county.

“Grŵp Cynefin offer ‘More than housing’ – grants, partnerships, support, opportunities, employment – and supporting a festival as dynamic as the Urdd Eisteddfod, on our doorstep, is very important to us. We wish them all the best!”