Lois Medi Wiliam revealed as Main Bard at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Maldwyn 2024

Lois Medi Wiliam from Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor has been announced as the Main Bard at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Maldwyn at a special ceremony from the stage at the White Pavilion in Meifod.

Lois is about to graduate from LSE in Social Anthropology. She is a former pupil of Ysgol Gynradd y Garnedd, Bangor where she won her first eisteddfod chair.

She also won the eisteddfod crown at Ysgol Tryfan, Bangor and the eisteddfod chair at Ysgol Uwchradd David Hughes, Porthaethwy.

Rebel

Two years ago, she came third in the Eisteddfod yr Urdd Drama Medal competition. Last year she was awarded the D. Gwyn Evans Prize by the Barddas Society for the best poem for those aged between 16 and 25. She has already published poems in Codi Pais and Ffosfforws (Cyhoeddiadau’r Stamp), but this is the first time she has published her poetry individually.

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

She wrote a winning poem in memory of her grandfather, who encouraged her interest in writing. Judges Tegwyn Pughe Jones and Mari George felt Lois was the worthy winner of the chair for her ‘lovely subtlety’.

“This poet’s simple poem managed to take my breath away. This is an attempt to cope with grief and the expression is gripping from the very beginning.

“The theme is not new, but the restrained and subtle style of the poet and the approach to the theme are striking. She manages to convey longing and sadness in a mature way without piling on adjectives and without creating sentimental images.”

Other winners

Brennig Davies from Cardiff came second, and Tesni Elen Peers from Wrexham was third. Their work will be published on the Urdd website later today. The winning work along with the adjudication will be available to read inCyhoeddiadau’r Stamp publications after the ceremony.

Lois receives a beautiful chair created by carpenter Siôn Jones from Llanidloes, given by Maldwyn NFU Cymru.

Speaking of the experience of creating the Maldwyn Urdd Eisteddfod chair, Siôn said: “Creating the Eisteddfod yr Urdd chair is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and creating the chair for an area that means so much to me and my family, is a privilege.

“The Urdd is important to Wales and brings people and the language together, and the fact that my chair will take centre stage on the National Eisteddfod stage is something I’m really proud of.”

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

Results for all competitions can be found on s4c.cymru/urdd