Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

13 articles on this Page

St. Clears Chair Eisteddfod.…

News
Cite
Share

St. Clears Chair Eisteddfod. SECOND ANNUAL EVENT. ANOTHER GHAND SUCCESS. A grand eisteddfod was held at St. Clears on Thursday, the J th May. Tho weather was btoken and showery ill the morning yet, in spite of these unfavourable symptoms, a largo number of excursionists arrived by the early trains from Carmarthen, Whitland, and neighbouring- stations and crowds also came in various conveyances and 011 tho celebrated Shauk's Maro from Mydrini, Llanddowror, Laugliarne, and other portions of tho surrounding district. The eisteddfod was held in a spacious pavilion pitched on the Peutre meadow, and which was capable of accommodating over a thousand people. During the course of the day the sky cleared up wonderfully and the audience continued to increase, until the seating accommodation of the pavilion was taxed to the full. A splendid programme had been arranged for n cl the occasion, and the committee in general —and the worthy secretary, the Hev J. B. Thomas in particular—are to bo congratu- lated on the splendid arrangements m ide to secure the success of the event, and on the uuusually satisfactory mannor in which the arrangements 11)(1.10 were carried out. Rev Ð. Gorllwyu AVillianis, Bethlehem, adjudicated on the literary compositions, and Mr David Thomas.-1-, Mus. Bac., Bridgend, on the music. The accompanists were Miss May Davies, L.L.C.M., Yv hitland, and Mr II, S. Jonc* (Ap Caeralaw), Carmarthen. Mr T. Ilowulls, tho Station, performed tho important duties of treasurer. Mr D. Kowlumls, schoolmaster, Bankyfelin, acted as conductor, and his genial tact and his well-known ability as a yiicovino' added much to the success of the eisteddfud; and kept the audience in good humour during the long sittings. The St. Clears eisteddfod was originally started last year for the purpose of assisting to defray the debt on the minister's house attached to Trinity Church and the success which has attended it renders it extremely likely that it will coutiuuo established as an annual event, for it is now looked forward as one of tho leading iixlures of the year in West Carmarthenshire. Apart from its excellent object, St Clears eisteddfod is woIl worth patronising and maintaining for its own sake. THE MORNING MEETING. The chair at the morning meeting was C, occupied by Mr W. Morgan Griffiths, J.P., Lime Grove, Carmarthen. The Chairman iu opening the proceedings, referred to the fact that 110 was sutiering from a bad cold, and ho was afraid that his voice would sound to them more like the croak of a crow than tho carol of a nightingalo. lie was there in fulfilment of a promise he had made !o his friend, the Rev J. B. Thomas. To all Welshmen the word" eisteddfod had a musical ring. It took them in iuiaginati.our,baek to the days when so much in the Principality depended on theso gatherings. As they know, the eisteddfod had been upheld by their fore- fathers- The old eisteddfodau wore congresses at which bands and musicians assembled to breathe forth the song and the music which inspired them. The eisteddfod had been a great factor in tho educational development of Wales. Had it not been for the promoters of t'uch gatherings, the Principality would not now havo been blessed with that educational system which she now boasted, and which gave overy poor boy in the country the right to demand to be educated at the expense of the State —gave him the opportunity of meeting the son of the peer on equal terms, and often of beating him (applause). The eisteddfod was an ancient institution. They would find records of those wnich had taken place as far back as the fourteenth century in the reign of one of tho Edwards. Degrees were conferred by the eisteddfod in those days, and competitors who had been honoured by their countrymen at such gatherings were received with honour in the halls of Princes, and were looked up to by the greatest in the land He (the chairman) was pleased to liud that the Rev J. B. Thomas had organised a gathering of that kin(I for the purpose of assisting to pay off the debt ou a building which was connected b with a religious body. He was also pleased to find that they were able to meet on a common platform the eisteddfod was a a national institution on which members of all reli,jious bodies could moot • it was Phasing to hud that thero was a common P atforin on which they could meet without In U'y way dragging in the dogmas of the >ari]°Us i'oligious creeds. The programme l sufficiently indicated tho non-political aractor of the gathering. He prosidec"l a the morning mooting—a humblo member Conservative party, who numbered ainon^at Nonconformists somo of his best He if8' AV'101U ^lu inspected very highly. jj-J. ja(rTKy ii<cd to tell them the opinions of at tho ^^omas, of Derry, who presided •if'tern concert. Presiding at tho ninri nvrQ Meeting they would have a gentle- (^f,J-Uuyd Morgan. M.l'.), alort there raald be no doubt should t j Iwvo been,lest the latter J3 Thoma i°VG1 traces, that the Rev J. two Tories aaildwie]iQcl between the hiehp^f ^10 t-'lniirmau) entertained and had 1 Im,pect for Mr ,1. Lloyd Morgau" 6 for many uumberod amongst his friends sense, Wdos^lWla"?<>); religious eisteddfod j!1 bonelltG" luuctl fl0m the remake the s„^ib,ccu tT,?ly saif'T"Lot notwhomawT°, l.° -1 «*»! rharlcjs T 1 laws' In tho reign of l.v thoso 1 ^luu had ceased to bo taught *» '1" «, "Utl ou religionhad WonI V'lll°->S i"1 Wal?s jjy the son-^s of +1 i f 111 tho Pt>0Ple at'terwards°\V 11 A century arousod hii TEC'S a groat aqrarture'll-ou, tK?a~wU<,U 0f mauy cvjjuts oi tho »zZy o tl10 •W*5* Jiteiaiy o, genera! chavacier. Tho only fat a eomT IV1 h° UOticed to that rule was 1 *1! !0 JIUa luid arranged for writers ot lovo-letters (laughter). He hope at tho competitors would all be able to make a bettor effort than that of vvoller, jut, described in the i Pickwick papers by Charles Dickons. At this gathering there was a man now probably in jjis death-bed who should not be iorgotten, as he had always taken a deep interest oil everything relating to Wales, and boastod that the bloood of Welshmen ran in his veins. He (tho chairman) did not know whether it would be in order but he would propose that that meeting pass a vote of sympathy and condolence with the family of that great, good, and wise Statesman, Mr Gladstone (applause). Death possessed no terrors for one who had lived his life • he would shake off the shackles of life and spring into a nobler life beyond the grave. Those who differed from him in polltIcs, coald not but admire the man, who had lived the life of a true Christian, and who by his presence at gatherings of that kind (eisteddfodau) had always shown his syiBpatby with tho people of tho Principality {applause)- Appended are the results of the various competitions :— Solo (for boys under 16 years of age), Bu genyf Fam a Thad (Gwilym Gwent). In Prize 3s, given by Miss Winnie James, Penygraig Promenade, ^Swansea. Seven competed. The prize was awarded to Sybert Thomas, Lammas-street, Carmar- then. Solo (for girls under 16 years of age), Can y fam i'w plentyn (R. S. Hughes). Prize 3s. Five competed, and the prize was awarded to Miss Lizzie Hodges, Francis-terrace, Carmarthen. Recitation, Portia's spcech from the Trial Scene in the Merchant of Venice ("The Quality of Mercy"). Prize 2s 6d. Thirteen competed. The winner was Miss Nicholas, Cwmfelyn-mynach, Whitland. Children's Choir, under 16 years of age (not under 30 in number, any number of adults allowed to sing tenor and bass). The following choirs competed :—Union-steet, Carmarthen (led by Mr David Williams): Pcntre United (led by Mr Joseph Williams, Mason's Arms) and Carmarthen Juveniles (led by Mr Tom Davies, Johnstown). The test piece was Come, Praise your Lord and Saviour (" Dyrchafwn lawen gan "). Tho prize, £ 2, and a silver medal to the conductor of tho successful choir, was awarded to the Carmarthen Juveniles. Love letter (original). Prize 2s Cd. There were 21 competitors the prize was awarded to Miss Evans, Llwynpiod, St. Clears. Soprano Solo, Pluck not the tender I, flower" ("Peidiwch tori' y blodaii Prizo 5s. Two competed. The prize was divided between those, viz.. Miss Bessio Davies, Llanstephan, and Miss Martha Lewis, Whitland. Duet, 0 Lovely Gwalia" (S. H. Bees). Prize 6s. Four parties competod. The winning party was Messrs Davies and Nicholas, Whitland. Special prize (given by Mr W. Morgan Griffiths) for the best impromptu speech on The Eisteddfod," limited in duration to two minutes. Thero "were three competitors. The first prize of os was awarded to Mr William Jones, Johnstown, Carmarthen and tho second of 2s to Mr Thomas Phillips, Frondeg, Llanginning. A prize of Is was also awarded to the third, viz., Mr William Evans, Plasygwyr, St. Clears. AFTERNOON MEETING. The afternoon meeting opened at 2 0{) C) p.m. under the presidency of Mr John Lloyd Morgan, M.P. The Chairman in opening the proceedings l)U the course of a lew remarks in Welsh) said that it gave him great pleasure to tako tho chair on such an occasion. Ho thought that anything like long speeches were out of place at such a meeting. The fcisteddfod had many historical associations connecting it with Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire. In the latter county an eisteddfod Lad been hold 708 years ago; and in the town of Carmarlhon one had been hold over 400 years ago. Tho eisteddfod was an old institution and the fact that it had lived so long was a good sign that it was a very worthy institution (applause). Tho National Eisteddfod was now more alivo than ever; and thero were also largo numbors of local eisteddfodau which did much to keep up the samo spirit. In Mabou they had one of the children of the eisteddfod who had entered the House of Commons. The eisteddfod had in the past been a moans of education to th;) Welsh people, and he believed that in the future it would continue to be a means of improvement to the nation (applause). Bass Solo, The Wreck," in key D or F (S. H. Rees\ Prize, 7s 6d. There were eight competitors. The winner was D. Jeremy Rees, Carmarthen. Quartette, Y Ddwy Lily" (Gwilym Lan). Prize 8s. Only one party 'competed (John Evans, Clogyfran, and friends); and the n prize was awarded to them. Female Party (not under 12 in number), J( su lover of my soul" (Dan Prothecoo). Prize £ 2, and a silver medal to the neatest conductor not necessarily the conductor of the successful party. The competing parties were -Llanstophaii (led by Mr J. T. Jones, schoolmaster), and Carmarthen Lilios (led by Ap Caeralaw. The adjudicator said the first choir was tho better, but the second was very good, considering that the members wore nearly all vpry young. The conductor of the socond choir was the noater of the two, as he conducted without any unnecessary movements, and did not move both hands, and beat time with his foot. Llanstephan Choir, therefore, won tho zL,2 and Ap Caeralaw the silver medal. Recitation, Y Boreu Olaf." Prize 6s. There were fifteen competitors. The winner was Henry Jones, Pantglas, Llanstephan. Male Voice Party(tiot undor 20 in number) Test pieco, "Crusaders" (Dan Protheroe). Prize X-1. Tho competing choirs were Carmarthen (led by Mr William Rees, Chequer's Alley); Llanstephan (led by Mr Glanmor Williams) and Y Brythoniaid" (led by Mr William Samuel, Llanddarog. The adjudicator awarded tho prize to the second-named party. Tenor solo, "Gwlad y Canu" (John Henry). Prize os, given by Mrs T. G. James, Penygraig Promenade, Swansea. Six competod, ol whom the winner was Mr T. G. Nicholas, Whitland. Chief Choral competition, Bydd melus gotio y cyfammod (Isalaw). Prize £ 1 0, and a tine oaken chair (ruado and presented by Mr W. E-eviiull, St. Clears) to the conductor of tho successful choir. The choirs which entered wero —Vale of Cowin (led by Mr J. N. Lewis, Cowin Grove); Union street (led by Mr D. N. Jones, Joliustown); Llanstephan (led by Mr John Tucker); Pentre United (led by Mr Thomas Thomas, Pentre); Penybout (led by Mr T. Lumley); Bethlehem (led by Mr Morgan Jenkins, St. Clears). The prize was awarded by the adjudicator to the first-named, and the successful conductor was carried shoulder high through the village. CONCERT. A grand concert was held in the pavilion in the evening, at which the attendance was even greater than at the eisteddfod, as largo nnmbors of the Carmarthen public cao\e down by train and bicycle late in the day to spend their half-holiday. Mr J. H. Thomas, J.P., Derry. presided with excellent tact; and Miss May Davies and Ap Caeralaw again acted as accompanists. Each of the well-known artistes did his (or her) part so well that to particularise would be invidious. The concert was a thorough success in every sense f the word. Appended is the programme roildere(I. Pianoforte solo, "Hocollectioll of Wales," Mr II. S. Jones; song, Cwm Llewellyn," Mr T. Conwil Evans; song, "Dear Homo Land," Miss Winuio Stephens; song, "Sound an Alarm," Mr W. Trevor Evans (encored) song. By the river," Miss M. A. Morris; song, '^Long ago in Aleala," Mr T. Conwil Evans (encored) song, "Cymru Rydd," Miss Winnie Stephens (encored); song, Y ffarwd cyntaf," Mr Trevor Evans. The chairing of the successful conductor in the Chief Choral Competition was noxt proceeded with,which was carried out with great enthusiasm. Pianoforte solo, Sans Souci," Miss May Davies duett, Love and Pride," Miss Winnie Stephens and Mr T.Conwil Evans (encored); song. "Italian Song," Mr W Trevor Evans (enoored) song', The Swallows," Miss M. A. Morris (encored); song, The Warriors," Mr T. Conwil Evans; duett, Hywell andBlodwen," Miss M. A. Morris and Mr Trevor Evans (encored); quartette, Nos daY'Peroriou," Miss Winnie Stephens, Miss M. A. Morris, Mr T. Conwil Evans, and Mr W. Trevor Evans finale, God Save the Queen."

Cyniddllias ftyddfrydig Dyffryn…

There is Only One.

GWYNFE.

Advertising

Carmarthen Borough Police…

St, David's Diocese.

United Counties Hunters' Society.

Advertising

[No title]

KaILVVAY TIME table.—may,I

Llaodilo Board of Guardians.

PONTYBEBEM.