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Wales Online
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
The best pictures from the first days of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham
The first days of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham have seen thousands attend the Maes on Is-y-Coed on the eastern outskirts of Wrexham Speaking on the opening day, chief executive Betsan Moses said the week-long event was the culmination of two years of hard work organising and fundraising. The National Eisteddfod is the largest cultural festival in Europe, held in a different part of Wales every year and aims to "promote, preserve and protect the heritage and culture of Wales". This year, it's Wrexham's turn, and there are plenty of nods to its Hollywood connections - although there are no public plans for the adopted pair of Rob and Ryan to attend. "There was widespread praise for Y Stand, the concert in the pavilion which told the story of a family's connection with football," she said. "The stage had been transformed into a football stadium and the Eisteddfod choir formed the crowd. We invited the audience to wear the red and white of Wrexham FC and we were extremely pleased to see many of them had done so." This year's president, actor Mark Lewis Jones, with credits in The Crown, Game of Thrones, Keeping Faith, Man Up and Baby Reindeer, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Just a few miles from his home village, he told the Eisteddfod, of his pride. ""I was, and continue to be, a proud Welshman, brought up in a community that was Welsh even though we were so close to the border, but even so I didn't think the Eisteddfod was for a Welshman like me. And it took me a while to understand that I was wrong." "The Eisteddfod is for everyone, for everyone," he said. Having sung at every National Eisteddfod for 60 years, veteran folk singer Dafydd Iwan has performed on the festival's main stage for the last time in Wrexham. He said: "The line has to be drawn somewhere, and I'm looking forward to enjoying several more 'Steddfods' from the back seats!" he said. The Eisteddfod runs until August 9. Here are the best pictures from the Maes so far:
North Wales Live
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
National Eisteddfod 2025: The latest news on Sunday
The National Eisteddfod 2025 is well underway in Wrexham, where the annual festival is being held this year. Thousands are flocking to the event after staff and contractors transformed farmland at Is-y-Coed on the eastern outskirts of Wrexham, into a small town with a 1,500 seat pavilion. It also has a range of performance spaces and stalls as well as a temporary Gorsedd circle. Here is a round-up of the latest news from the National Eisteddfod today (Sunday August 3), to enjoy: The National Eisteddfod got underway on Saturday without any major difficulties the festival's chief executive said. Betsan Moses said the week-long event is being staged on farmland at Is-y-Coed on the eastern outskirts of Wrexham and is the culmination of two years of hard work organising and fund-raising. Speaking to journalists on Sunday Ms Moses said everyone was pleased with the arrangements that had been made. "The police were happy that traffic moved freely thoughout the day and the car parks were full. Stall holders and traders are happy with the expansive layout of the Maes and the footfall was good. "There are more stalls here this year because the Maes is larger than the one at Parc Ynys Angharad in Pontypridd in 2024. They are also not grouped in any particular way so people walking along the rows of stalls see them all." The weather was also favourable with warm sunshine and blue skies. She said the only complaints they had received were from people having difficulty what to go and see and do. "There was widespread praise for Y Stand, the concert in the pavilion which told the story of a family's connection with football. "The stage had been transformed into a football stadium and the Eisteddfod choir formed the crowd. We invited the audience to wear the red and white of Wrexham FC and we were extremely pleased to see many of them had done so. "All in all a very good start to the Eisteddfod," she said. Yesterday evening there was a varied evening of music enjoyed by large crowds on the Eisteddfod Maes. Anglesey singer and songwriter Elin Fflur and Diffiniad, which has close links with the Wrexham area, featured on the huge Llwyfan y Maes while Bob Delyn a'r Ebilliad played to a capacity audience in the smaller, intimate setting of Tŷ Gwerin. Meanwhile the audience in the Pavilion enjoyed a musical commissioned by the Eisteddfod. Y Stand was written by Manon Steffan Ros and the music composed by Osian Huw Williams. Diffiniad was founded by a group of friends, mostly from the Mold area, to perform dance music in Welsh. Bethan Richards, from Ammanford, joined as a singer, and her rich, deep voice lifts some of their most memorable anthems to the heights. Songs like Hapus, Hwyr Tan y Bore and their version of the Caryl Parry Jones classic, Calon had the large, appreciative crowd singing along. The audience had earlier been delighted by a set by Elin Fflur and her band. She sang songs old and new including "Harbwr Diogel" ("Safe Bay"). Written by Arfon Wyn she won the Cân i Gymru competition in 2002. Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion are a folk-rock group fronted by chaired bard Twm Morys. Their music combines an eclectic array of influences and instruments with more traditional Welsh folk sounds. Tŷ Gwerin is located in a large yurt and the group played a variety of folk songs from around Wales and further afield. Their set culminated with Twm Morys' song Trên Bach y Sgwarnogod (Little Hare's Train) which sparked dozens of the audience to join a conga around the audience led by saxophonists Edwin Humphreys and Einion Gruffudd. Y Stand is a brand-new show about football, about winning and losing, and about the special connection that comes from supporting a team. The Pavilion was transformed into a football stadium, alive with the sound, colour and the energy of the crowd. The story is told through the eyes of the 200-strong Eisteddfod choir and five main characters. Clem (Dyfed Thomas) is an actor who is a former Wrexham player, returning to the stage with his personal history and deep love for the Club, and Grace (Cadi Glwys), a young 14-year-old girl who dreams of playing football. The Eisteddfod gives an opportunity to a large number of groups and solo artists during the week-long festival. Others due to take part are veteran folk singer Dafydd Iwan, Blaenau Ffestiniog-based rock band Anweledig and Fleur de Lys and top folk band Bwncath. In other news it is going to be an emotional week for the leader of the Wales and the World contingent at the National Eisteddfod. Maxine Hughes, originally from Conwy, is well known for being the official Welsh interpreter of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney the two Hollywood actors who purchased Wrexham FC four years ago. The well-respected journalist would tease the pair as they struggled to come to terms with some Welsh phrases. But this year has been one of significant challenges for Maxine who recently revealed she has just finished an intensive course of chemotherapy and faces further surgery immediately after the Eisteddfod. She said the diagnosis came shortly following the death of her father, John, late last year. Speaking on the Maes she said she was incredibly proud to accept the invitation to be the leader of the Wales and the World at the Eisteddfod. "And I was in hospital when the email came that I was to be inducted into the Gorsedd. I nearly fainted I was so happy. "It is such a great honour to be recognised by the Gorsedd, and as Leader of Wales and the World this year, and even more significant because the Eisteddfod is in Wrexham. I am so proud my father's family is from Wrexham and he would have been even prouder that this is happening here, his home town," she said. Maxine added she is heading back to the USA immediately after the Eisteddfod and undergoing surgery early next week. "The surgery was due to take place this week but I was able to explain to the surgeon that I needed to be here and he agreed to put it back a week," she said. She said she looks forward to the Eisteddfod every year. "I aim to come back to Wales in August with the boys to see the family members and go over to the Eisteddfod wherever it is being held. As well as being the Leader of Wales and the World I will be holding other sessions with the Welsh Government and students," he said. When she was young Maxine competed regularly and successfully in the National Eisteddfod. "The Urdd Eisteddfod and the National Eisteddfod were a big part of my childhood. I recited individually as a pupil at Ysgol Bodnant and at Ysgol Bryn Elian there was a lot of singing. I also danced and competed in gymnastics and I was happy to take part and enjoy," he said. Her work has included some of the world's biggest news stories, from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan to the war in Syria, and of course the American elections. She had the opportunity to meet and interview Donald Trump for the first of S4C's three-part documentary series, Extreme World. Maxine negotiated for more than a year to gain access to Trump before securing 30 minutes of his time at his home in Florida for a face-to-face interview, where he talked about his plans to stand and be re-elected. Rumours are rife on the Maes that we will see Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at the Eisteddfod but Maxine explained that that is unlikely. "They are busy preparing for the new season in a new league and their focus is all on the club. "What they have done with the club has been fantastic and I appreciate what they have done for the city," he said. The Gorsedd will also gather today for the Crown ceremony in the Eisteddfod Pavilion. Poets were invited to present a poem or a collection of poems, without being in strict metre of up to 250 lines, on the subject of 'Ruins'. The Crown was designed and produced by Neil Rayment and Elan Rowlands. These are the two who created the impressive Crown for the 2024 Rhondda Cynon Taf Eisteddfod. Elan, who is originally from Caernarfon, said that the Crown was inspired by the ancient fossils found in Brymbo Forest - which date back over 300 million years. During this period, layers of plant debris – along with flooding – formed the rich coal seams that shaped Wrexham's industrial legacy. These fossils are the symbolic foundation of the Crown, representing the deep foundations of the region's identity. Surrounding the Crown are images of important milestones in Wrexham's history. "It was a privilege and a joy to be the youngest craftswoman to co-design and create the Eisteddfod Crown last year, and now, to be one of the first craftsman-designers to create it for the second year in a row. "Designing the Crown for the second time is not only a professional milestone, but also an extremely satisfying creative experience. There is something very special about taking a concept that rooted in place, history, and memory, and turned into symbolic wearable artwork. "This project holds deep personal significance for me. My great-great-grandfather worked in the Hafod collieries in Rhos, and my father grew up in the area. In addition, as I researched the industrial past of the area, I was particularly touched by the story of the Gresford Disaster in 1934, where 266 men lost their lives. The Crown honours their memory, and the enduring strength and resilience of the community that helped to be built." Neil added: "This Crown is more than a ceremonial object – it is a piece of heritage art, designed and created by hand, and rooted in tradition and innovation. It places us firmly within the cultural history of Wales, a legacy I am extremely proud to contribute to." The Coronation ceremony will be held on Monday 4 August at 4pm. Maxine gave a speech as the leader of Wales and the World at the Gymanfa Ganu in the Pavilion on Sunday night.
BBC News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wrexham gets ready to host 2025 National Eisteddfod
The city of Wrexham is ready to welcome thousands of visitors to the Eisteddfod, an annual celebration of Welsh language and culture. More than 150,000 people are expected to attend with 6,000 competitors showcasing the best Welsh language art, music, drama and is the first time since 2011 that the Eisteddfod has been held in the festival will take place in Isycoed from Saturday until 9 August. Organisers said Wrexham had a "strong Welsh feel" even though only about 12% of residents speak the it was announced in 2023, councillor Hugh Jones said it was a "fantastic opportunity to welcome people from far and wide to celebrate our language and culture". Eisteddfod chief executive Betsan Moses said Wrexham was "the place to be".Llinos Roberts, chair of the executive committee for the 2025 National Eisteddfod, said: "I think more people in Wrexham and the surrounding areas consider themselves to be 'Welsh' compared with other parts of north-east Wales. "We're trying to get lots of local people to visit the Eisteddfod."Once again thousands of local residents on lower incomes will be able to visit the event free of charge thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Welsh government. What is the National Eisteddfod? The National Eisteddfod is an annual festival that celebrates the language and culture of festival has taken place each summer since 1861, with the location alternating between north and south is best known for its competitions - allowing people from across Wales to compete in various cultural contests - with actors, musicians and poets competing on the national main site, known as the maes, is the home of many of the eisteddfod's activities. Wrexham Football Club has gone from strength to strength since the Eisteddfod was last in town, returning to the Football League and being promoted to the club even has a full-time Welsh language tutor. Huw Birkhead has been teaching Welsh with a "football twist" to staff, players and fans from around the world for the past two club has joined forces with the National Centre for Learning Welsh and Coleg Cambria to promote the said: "It's to help staff feel comfortable using the Welsh language around the place and to give the staff the opportunity to grow in confidence to use some Welsh in their work but also in their private lives as well."Megan Buckley, who works for the club's youth foundation, is looking forward to practising her new Welsh-speaking skills at the said: "There's a bit more buzz around it and all the kids obviously doing stuff around the Eisteddfod in schools so we get to hear a lot about it so to be involved this year is going to be really fun." Wrexham may be hosting a major arts and culture festival but it already has its own space dedicated to local craftspeople - Ty combined market and arts hub has brought together various craft groups to make a large display to mark the was the brainchild of trader Wendy Scott, who said: "There's loads of different groups within Wrexham that are crafting and they're all kind of isolated so we wanted them all to join together to make crocheted or knitted flowers to use up those small amounts of yarn that they might have in their stash and it stops it going into landfill." Sue Allen, who was among the contributors and is performing at the festival as part of a choir, said she believed the popularity of the documentary Welcome to Wrexham about the football club and its celebrity co-chairmen Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney could draw even more attention to the said: "I'm really glad that Wrexham's got the Eisteddfod again. "I've just come back from America and everybody's heard of Wrexham because of the programme."But Welcome to Wrexham is not just the name of a TV show, it is the message of the week ahead, in the hope that the Eisteddfod will create a growing community of regular visitors.
Leader Live
30-07-2025
- General
- Leader Live
Accessibility in focus at Wrexham National Eisteddfod
They can take part in the Welsh Government's draft Disabled People's Rights Plan, which aims to improve equality and inclusion across all areas of life. Betsan Moses, chief executive of the National Eisteddfod, said: "Everyone is welcome at the Eisteddfod and we are working tirelessly to ensure that the Maes is as accessible as possible for our visitors. "The services we have developed over the last few years reflect our commitment in this regard. "We have been working with 'Attitude is Everything' for a few years to ensure that we offer a quality service across the Maes, and we are currently working towards a silver accreditation." The Eisteddfod focuses on accessibility and therefore has several measures in place, including clearly signposted Blue Badge parking, accessible toilets in every block, daily BSL interpreters, and a dedicated Accessibility Hub. Scooters are available for hire, and a quiet space, 'Y Llecyn Llonydd,' is provided for those who need a break from the crowds. The draft plan has been developed with input from more than 350 people with experience and sets out practical steps to remove barriers in education, employment, housing, transport, and public services. READ MORE: Wrexham councillors dismiss advice to defend 600-home planning appeal Jane Hutt, cabinet secretary for social justice, said: "Our draft plan has already been shaped by hundreds of disabled people, but we know there are more voices to be heard. "Your voice matters and your experiences count. "By taking part, you'll help make sure this plan really works for disabled people across Wales." Visitors to the Eisteddfod can find information about the consultation at the Welsh Government stand. Materials are available in accessible formats including BSL, Welsh, English, audio, braille, and easy read. The consultation remains open until August 7.
