Mari Grug will be President of 2026 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol

Nation Cymru staff

The Eisteddfod announced that broadcaster and presenter Mari Grug will be the President of this year’s Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, following an invitation from the local executive committee.

Grug will address the audience from the Pavilion stage on the Eisteddfod Maes during the opening ceremony on Saturday, 1 August.

Responding to the announcement, Mari said: “It’s a great honour. Receiving the invitation was quite a shock, to be honest! I certainly wasn’t expecting it, I have to say, but those who know me know that the Eisteddfod has always been a huge part of my life.

“I was brought up with the Urdd Eisteddfod, and then, thanks to Marilyn Lewis, I was introduced to the National Eisteddfod with Côr Newyddion Da and began competing. I later competed with the choir in the singing and folk song competitions, and individually in recitation competitions.

“I’m very pleased to receive the invitation, and I hope I can be an ambassador for the Eisteddfod, encouraging more people to come onto the field to enjoy what I’ve experienced for years.

“The Eisteddfod week is certain to be busy one – my schedule is already full of meetings, events, and ceremonies – but I hope there’ll be time to enjoy the event too.”

Mari was raised on a farm in Mynachlog-ddu and was educated at Ysgol y Preseli in Crymych before graduating in Welsh from Cardiff University and going on to work in the media. S

he first worked as an actress in the series ‘Darn o Dir’, before beginning her presenting career on ‘Planed Plant’, and then joining the ‘Newyddion S4C’ weather team when the service was relaunched.

She has also presented programmes from some of Wales’ biggest events, such as the Urdd Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Show, the Gŵyl Gerdd Dant, and, of course, the National Eisteddfod.

Today, Mari is best known as one of the presenters of the popular daily programmes ‘Heno’ and ‘Prynhawn Da’ and is also a familiar voice on Radio Cymru.

In July 2023, Mari revealed that she was undergoing treatment for metastatic breast cancer, at the age of just 38. She now lives with cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes and liver.

Over the past two years, she has shared her personal experience of living with cancer through her podcast ‘1 mewn 2’, as well as in a documentary broadcast on S4C. She is an ambassador for Cancer Research Wales.

Mari was the presenter of the flower token at the 2002 National Eisteddfod in St Davids, recalling that special experience over twenty years ago, she said: “It was a wonderful experience to be part of the Eisteddfod the last time it came to the area.

“That was also a busy week, with Gorsedd ceremonies and competitions – and enjoying ourselves in the evenings! I’m looking forward to playing a role again this year, this time as Festival President.”

Mari follows a number of prominent Welsh figures as the Eisteddfod’s Honorary President over the years, including actor Mark Lewis Jones, presenter and DJ Huw Stephens, and Members of Parliament Liz Saville Roberts and Ben Lake. Mari will also be admitted to Gorsedd Cymru on Friday, 7 August on the Maes at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las.

More information about the Eisteddfod and tickets are available at www.eisteddfod.cymru.