Welsh Learner of the Year finalists announced ahead of National Eisteddfod

Mark Mansfield

The four finalists for this year’s Welsh Learner of the Year competition have been announced ahead of the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire.

The award, organised jointly by the National Eisteddfod and the National Centre for Learning Welsh, celebrates learners who have embraced the language and made significant contributions to Welsh-speaking communities.

The finalists are Jonathan Davies from Loughor near Swansea, Caroline Jones from Gwynedd, Kierion Lloyd from Wrexham and Paige Morgan from the United States.

The winner will be announced during the National Eisteddfod at Eisteddfod Genedlaethol y Garreg Las on 5 August.

Judges Karl Davies, Kevin Knox and Mirain Iwerydd praised the standard of this year’s entries.

They said: “It was a privilege and a pleasure to meet all the new speakers who applied for the Eisteddfod y Garreg Las Learner of the Year Award 2026.

“They have wonderful stories to share, and each of them has learned Welsh to an excellent standard. They have embraced the Welsh language and committed themselves to the culture of Wales.

“Four came top – Paige, Jonathan, Kierion and Caroline. They’re exceptional people, full of enthusiasm and passion for the Welsh language, using Welsh in their everyday lives and supporting others to enjoy the language.”

Jonathan Davies began learning Welsh in 2020 after returning to Wales following a period living in London, where he studied music before training as a teacher.

Since then, he has gone on to begin a Welsh-medium PhD in Linguistics and Education at Cardiff University, researching accessibility in education.

He also teaches creative writing, facilitates groups for Welsh learners and founded the podcast Ymchwil y Gweilch. He is currently involved in developing a bilingual tool to assess text accessibility.

London

Caroline Jones, originally from London, first became aware of the Welsh language after meeting her husband before moving to north Wales in 2004.

Now a consultant clinical psychologist and head of department at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, she provides bilingual services to patients and has been recognised for promoting Welsh in the workplace.

Earlier this year she was named Betsi Cadwaladr’s Intermediate/Advanced Learner of the Year.

Discovering Welsh 

Kierion Lloyd grew up in a non-Welsh-speaking family and spent much of his childhood moving around due to his father’s military career.

After living in New Zealand, he decided to begin learning Welsh in Wrexham in 2018.

He says the language has strengthened his connection to Welsh culture and history, and he is a regular attendee at Welsh-language music events and Eisteddfodau. He also contributes to a website dedicated to song lyrics, helping to make Welsh-language content more accessible.

USA

Paige Morgan, who lives in the United States, began learning Welsh before discovering a passion for creative writing in the language.

She is the first American woman to join the Pencerdd scheme run by Literature Wales and Barddas, which develops new poets and writers.

Morgan has written for Lingo360 and Golwg, covering American politics, and has won competitions for her short stories. She says she hopes her Welsh-language work will encourage others to learn and use the language.

The winner of the competition will receive the Dysgwr y Flwyddyn Trophy, donated by Cymdeithas Waldo, along with a £300 prize donated by Geraint and Siân James of Siop Awen Teifi in Cardigan.

The three runners-up will each receive £100.