Watch: Welsh learner sings Meic Stevens classic live at National Eisteddfod

A Welsh language learner from Swansea who entered the open solo competition in the Eisteddfod on a whim has ended up playing on the main Pavilion stage.

Ian ‘Tich’ Thomas hails from the Rhondda originally and now lives in Swansea and has been a stalwart of the south Wales acoustic music scene for many years.

He began learning Welsh later in life, but has naturally embraced the Welsh music scene and its culture.

Ian told Nation.Cymru: “I never had the chance to enter the National Eisteddfod as a child due to Welsh not being prioritised as much then.

“This year, I decided to enter the Open solo in Maes D (learners) just to prove to myself I could, and to tick it off my to do list.”

“Over the moon”

To his astonishment, he won – with the judge Lloyd Macey also choosing him to represent Maes D on the main Pavilion stage.

‘I was absolutely over the moon as my online Welsh classmates and tutor Sarah Merton had missed my performance on the Maes D stage as it was very early and they hadn’t yet arrived.

“They all came along to support me on The Pavilion Stage and helped calm the nerves. I felt so proud to be able to sing in my native language at its main national event.

“I sang Cân Walter by Meic Stevens whose music and poetic lyrics I find a real inspiration.’

Tich regularly sits in on the folk sessions ‘sesiwn werin’ and is part of the ‘sesiwn fach’ classes that teach children Welsh folk Music at Ty Tawe centre, and  he was amazed at the amount of talent and wonderful music that he has encountered.