Latest news with #MargamPark
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In pictures: Urdd Eisteddfod 2025 in rain and shine
Despite it being the hottest start to May in Wales this year, the sunshine didn't quite hold out for this week's Urdd Eisteddfod. While some photos may be deceiving, Europe's largest youth festival, held this year in Margam Park in Neath Port Talbot, was largely damp - but performers didn't let the weather rain on their parade. Wednesday was the brightest day, with families across Wales flocking to the Maes to spectate, eat and enjoy. From political faces including First Minister Eluned Morgan and Mark Drakeford to former rugby star Alun Wyn Jones, everyone turned up to show their passion for the Welsh language. Young Urdd winner melts hearts with message to mam American's Eisteddfod trip to trace his heritage Teacher inspires Welsh learning in school with 23 languages
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In pictures: Urdd Eisteddfod 2025 in rain and shine
Despite it being the hottest start to May in Wales this year, the sunshine didn't quite hold out for this week's Urdd Eisteddfod. While some photos may be deceiving, Europe's largest youth festival, held this year in Margam Park in Neath Port Talbot, was largely damp - but performers didn't let the weather rain on their parade. Wednesday was the brightest day, with families across Wales flocking to the Maes to spectate, eat and enjoy. From political faces including First Minister Eluned Morgan and Mark Drakeford to former rugby star Alun Wyn Jones, everyone turned up to show their passion for the Welsh language. Young Urdd winner melts hearts with message to mam American's Eisteddfod trip to trace his heritage Teacher inspires Welsh learning in school with 23 languages
BBC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Urdd Eisteddfod 2025 in pictures: Sun, rain and celebration
Despite it being the hottest start to May in Wales this year, the sunshine didn't quite hold out for this week's Urdd Eisteddfod. While some photos may be deceiving, Europe's largest youth festival, held this year in Margam Park in Neath Port Talbot, was largely damp - but performers didn't let the weather rain on their parade. Wednesday was the brightest day, with families across Wales flocking to the Maes to spectate, eat and enjoy. From political faces including First Minister Eluned Morgan and Mark Drakeford to former rugby star Alun Wyn Jones, everyone turned up to show their passion for the Welsh language.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Eisteddfod yr Urdd 2025 boosts town hit by mass job losses
The Urdd Eisteddfod is bringing a much-needed boost this year to an area that has been hit hard by job losses at the country's biggest steelworks, organisers have largest youth festival takes place this week in Margam Park near Port Talbot, where the closure of the blast furnaces last year at Tata Steel led to 2,800 redundancies and uncertainty for the local Walker Hunt, a former steel worker who was made redundant along with many of his friends, said the layoffs were "devastating".He switched careers to set up his own business selling coffee and said he was "so proud" of the way he had turned his fortunes around, with a location at this year's Eisteddfod. "A lot of people thought I wouldn't be able to do this," Mr Hunt said."I've got a location in the shopping centre and I'm here as well, my first ever festival," he added, speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast at Eisteddfod yr festival celebrating the Welsh language and Welsh culture is held in a different location every year, allowing it to come to towns which need a positive force to put their energy in, director of the arts for the Urdd Llio Maddocks said."It has been a tough time, hasn't it? Port Talbot has been in the headlines for lots of the wrong reasons," she said. "What we're hearing from our volunteers and young people is that they manage to channel their positive energy now and come together to celebrate the fact that they have a unique history, culture, heritage," Ms Maddocks said."It gives them that platform to show what this area is all about," she added. The Eisteddfod will see 37 new English-medium schools from the Neath Port Talbot area participate this year, showing there is appetite to learn Welsh in an area not traditionally considered Welsh-speaking, Ms Maddocks chief executive Sian Lewis said money should not be a barrier to learning Welsh, and that the organisation was actively reaching out to a new audience of Welsh learners and people in areas of deprivation. Among the Welsh learners who have attended the festival so far is Ruby Davies from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, who captured hearts last year when she won the individual recitation Welsh learners category for years 5 and 6 in the Tuesday, she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the past year had been "so busy" and "excellent"."I got to meet the Prince of Wales in my school and I got to do my poem for him," she said Prince William had told her she was a "one-man band"."Quite a lot of people have recognised me throughout the year," Ruby said she had since learnt the Welsh phrases she did not understand in the viral interview she gave after winning last year. "I know what they mean now!" she said, adding "llongyfarchiadau", Welsh for congratulations, to all the people who had made it to the final this year.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Urdd Eisteddfod 2025: Margam Park ticket prices and what you need to know
The steel town of Port Talbot is ready to welcome thousands of visitors to Eisteddfod yr Urdd, an annual celebration of Welsh language and year there are more Welsh learners competing than ever before, according to Urdd Gobaith festival will take place in Margam Park from Monday 26 May to Saturday 31 have said the festival will bring much-needed positivity to the town, following the closure of the blast furnaces at Tata steel last year. What is Eisteddfod yr Urdd? The Urdd Eisteddfod is held every year at different locations across Wales, usually to coincide with the spring half festival brings together young people to compete in events in categories including music, literature and performing festival is organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales' largest youth movement, which celebrated its 100th birthday in organisation has announced a record-breaking 119,593 registrations to compete in this year's festival, which includes a significant 42% rise in the number of young Welsh learners compared to last year. Much-needed good news for Port Talbot Since announcing in 2023 that the festival would be held in Port Talbot, the steel town has seen a lot of change. In January 2024 it was announced the blast furnaces at Tata Steel would be closing, meaning the loss of nearly 3,000 jobs across the UK but most of those in Port Talbot. Students at local school Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur hope the Eisteddfod will be a chance to celebrate the area's McLean, 14, hopes the Eisteddfod will bring more tourism to the area."It's really exciting, I've lived in Port Talbot all my life so I feel like I'm more involved in it [Eisteddfod]," she said. "It's been quite quiet here, so I think the Eisteddfod will brighten the situation with the steelworks." How much are tickets to the Urdd Eisteddfod? Tickets for lower income families or children under the age of three are a part of the Urdd's message of peace and goodwill, the organisation said they were "committed" to continue to appeal to low income admission per day ranges from £23 for an adult to £15 for a child or £12 for a information about tickets, including who is eligible for free entry, can be found on the Urdd's website. How can I get to the Urdd Eisteddfod? Margam Park is a stone's throw away from the M4. Exit at junction 38 if you are travelling from the west and junction 37 from the May a train was named after the Urdd's mascot, Mistar Urdd, to encourage people to use public transport to get to the festival grounds this have also confirmed details for the shuttle bus service running between Port Talbot (Parkway) train station to the Eisteddfod Maes throughout the week. The service is free to the public, running between 06:30 BST and 21:56 or 23:26, depending on which day.
