New Archdruid steps into role
A NEW Archdruid and three new Gorsedd members were installed at a colourful ceremony on Saturday, proclaiming next year’s Anglesey Eisteddfod.
One of the largest provincial festivals in Wales, the 2018 Eisteddfod will be staged in Llangefni in May.
During the hour-long ceremony at Menai Bridge, retiring Archdruid Annes Glynn handed over the reins to her successor John Richard Williams.
Ms Glynn, only the second woman to hold the post, said she could not believe three years had passed since she was appointed.
Mr Williams’ first task was to invest musician Elen Wyn Keen from Llangristiolus and past Eisteddfod Môn chair winners, writer Gareth Evans Jones from Mari- anglas and poet Llion Pryderi Roberts, now from Nelson but originally from Brynsiencyn, into the islands Gorsedd of Bards.
For Mrs Keen, originally from Bala, it was almost like a dress rehearsal for the Gorsedd ceremony at the National Eisteddfod. Her name was among ther 62 people who will be honoured for their contribution to cultural life in Wales at the festival in August.
A family bereavement prevented singers Steffan Lloyd Owen from Pentreberw and Gwen Elin, Benllech, from attending the ceremony.
The Archdruid expressed his condolences to them and said they will be welcomed into the Gorsedd at next year’s Eisteddfod.
First held in 1907 the event, Eisteddfod Môn, is staged at towns and villages around the island and the host communities are expected to raise substantial sums to fund the festival.
Last year fundraisers in the Llangristiolus area raised more than £20,000.
But with the National Eisteddfod being held on Anglesey in August no Eisteddfod Môn is being held this year and officials have decided the financial burden would be too much on one community and are staging the event themselves.
Gorsedd chairman Gladys Pritchard told the audience it had been hoped to stage the festival at Menai Bridge, but the hall at Ysgol David Hughes was not available.
“Changing the date would have clashed with the Young Farmers Rally so we have decided to keep the date and move the Eisteddfod to Llangefni instead,” she said.