Support our Nation today - please donate here
Culture

The hilarious decorations set up to welcome visitors to the National Eisteddfod in Ceredigion

11 Jul 2022 3 minute read
Some of the decorations welcoming people to the Ceredigion Eisteddfod

It’s a tradition that the county hosting the National Eisteddfod will usually dress itself up in bunting and placards to welcome people to the festival.

But the always-inventive people of Ceredigion have come up with some more creative decorations to highlight the fact that they’re hosting the Welsh language cultural festival this year – including a set of scarecrow druids and painted sheep.

The people of Llanddewi Brefi have set up their own ‘Gorsedd’ of scarecrows, Enfys Hatcher Davies from the village told Nation.Cymru.

The Gorsedd are the community of bards who lead the Eisteddfod’s main ceremonies, promote literary scholarship, poetry and music, and hand out honours to those who have made a marked contribution to Welsh life – with First Minister Mark Drakeford due to join their ranks this year.

Every member also has a poetic bardic name, usually referring to where they come from, their family connections or a clever play on words, as well as their real name.

“Everyone contributed one scarecrow and gave it a bardic name, such as Emyr Fychan o’r Brefi, Rhys o’r Pistyll, Gwyneth Fflur and Cyril Sgoldy,” Enfys Hatcher Davies said.

“Around the scarecrows, there are also quotes from Llanddewi Brefi poets including one Prifardd (Chief Poet), D Lloyd Jenkins.”

Druid scarecrows in Llanddewi Brefi. Picture by Enfys Hatcher
Druid scarecrows in Llanddewi Brefi. Picture by Enfys Hatcher
Druid scarecrows in Llanddewi Brefi. Picture by Enfys Hatcher
Druid scarecrows in Llanddewi Brefi. Picture by Enfys Hatcher

Meanwhile, in Talgarreg, Enfys ‘Rheol’ Needham-Jones has painted some of their own flock with bunting and musical notes to represent the National Eisteddfod.

“We’re ready to welcome the Eisteddfod Ceredigion-style,” she joked.

Eisteddfod sheep in Talgarreg. Picture by Enfys Rheol

The people of Ceredigion have had long enough to come up with creative ways of advertising the festival, as it was originally set to take place in 2020 but was delayed for two years due to the Covid pandemic.

The last Eisteddfod took place in Llanrwst, Conwy in 2019. Next year’s Eisteddfod will take place in Llŷn and Eifionydd.

Some more traditional Eisteddfod decorations in Croeslan, Ceredigion

The Ceredigion National Eisteddfod will be held on the outskirts of the town of Tregaron from 30 July – 6 August. For more information, go here.

Have you made a special effort with your National Eisteddfod decorations? If so get in touch!


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
johnny
johnny
1 year ago

“Hilarious” does not do it justice. The daft druidic names and the comical Welshness. The Eisteddfod rule that only Welsh speakers can be druids, promptly disregarded if necessary (quiz of the day – who is about to become a gorsedd member in Tregaron, but does not speak Welsh). He he he, hilarious.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.