Tributes paid to writer Meic Stephens, 79
TRIBUTES have been paid to the writer and academic Meic Stephens, who has died at the age of 79.
Originally from Treforest near Pontypridd, Mr Stephens studied French at Aberystwyth University, graduating in 1961 before going on to work as a French teacher and then as a journalist.
He founded Poetry Wales in 1965 and edited the magazine for a period of eight years.
From 1967 until 1990 he was literature director of the Arts Council of Wales.
A prolific author, poet and editor, his masterpieces include The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (1986) and Library of Wales: Poetry 1900-2000, which includes the history and work of 100 Welsh poets. Early in his career he worked on the Western Mail.
He joined the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) and during the 1966 General Election stood as a candidate for Plaid Cymru in Merthyr. He was at Trefechan Bridge in 1963 for the first Cymdeithas protest. It is widely believed that Mr Stephens was responsible for painting the famous slogan “Cofiwch Dryweryn” (Remember Tryweryn) on a wall near Llanrhystud, Ceredigion, to commemorate the drowning of the Tryweryn Valley to provide water for Liverpool.
His son, Huw, is a BBC Radio 1 and Radio Cymru presenter.
As recently as May 2018 Mr Stephens was made a Fellow of Aberystwyth University. Tributes poured in, including one from Wales Arts Review, which said: “Sad to hear of the death of Meic Stephens, writer, editor, professor, and colossal figure in the last 50 years of Welsh literature. He was a friend to us here from day one, and a supporter of all we did. He will be very much missed.”