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| A new poet for St David's Day: Ifor ap Glyn appointed national poet of Wales | A new poet for St David's Day: Ifor ap Glyn appointed national poet of Wales |
| (6 months later) | |
| Ifor ap Glyn has been named the fourth national poet of Wales, charged with promoting Welsh poetry and taking it to a global stage. | Ifor ap Glyn has been named the fourth national poet of Wales, charged with promoting Welsh poetry and taking it to a global stage. |
| Glyn, who was born in 1961 to a Welsh-speaking family in London, and now lives in Caernarfon, has published five collections of poetry in Welsh. He won the crown at the National Eisteddfod in 1999 and again in 2013 with Terfysg (Perturbation) – a sequence of poems, written in a free verse informed by the internal rhyme and rhythm of cynghanedd, which explores his reaction to the drop in Welsh speakers recorded by the 2011 census. | Glyn, who was born in 1961 to a Welsh-speaking family in London, and now lives in Caernarfon, has published five collections of poetry in Welsh. He won the crown at the National Eisteddfod in 1999 and again in 2013 with Terfysg (Perturbation) – a sequence of poems, written in a free verse informed by the internal rhyme and rhythm of cynghanedd, which explores his reaction to the drop in Welsh speakers recorded by the 2011 census. |
| From 2008 until 2009, Glyn was Bardd Plant Cymru (the Welsh-language children’s laureate) and is a founder member of the award-winning television company Cwmni Da, working as a director, producer and presenter. | From 2008 until 2009, Glyn was Bardd Plant Cymru (the Welsh-language children’s laureate) and is a founder member of the award-winning television company Cwmni Da, working as a director, producer and presenter. |
| Speaking to the Guardian before the announcement, Glyn said he was still “in the process of working out” what the position entails. | Speaking to the Guardian before the announcement, Glyn said he was still “in the process of working out” what the position entails. |
| “It’s a twofold job,” he explained. “At one level you’re a figurehead, a poster boy, an ambassador for Welsh literary culture. On another level there’s an expectation you’ll respond to the occasional commission – that you’ll celebrate Welsh success and reflect on Welsh failure.” | “It’s a twofold job,” he explained. “At one level you’re a figurehead, a poster boy, an ambassador for Welsh literary culture. On another level there’s an expectation you’ll respond to the occasional commission – that you’ll celebrate Welsh success and reflect on Welsh failure.” |
| He said that while each poet brings their own interpretation to the role “one of the first things I’ll do is to write a paean to [outgoing post-holder] Gillian Clarke, thanking her for her eight years as national poet”. | He said that while each poet brings their own interpretation to the role “one of the first things I’ll do is to write a paean to [outgoing post-holder] Gillian Clarke, thanking her for her eight years as national poet”. |
| Glyn rejects any suggestion that Welsh, a language with 600,000 speakers, is in decline but says that promoting Welsh both within and outside the country is a central part of his role. He said: “There’s plenty of scope for Welsh poetry to expand its audience beyond the 20% of people in Wales who already speak the language, both within the country and in the wider UK. After all, Welsh is part of Britain’s shared cultural heritage.” | Glyn rejects any suggestion that Welsh, a language with 600,000 speakers, is in decline but says that promoting Welsh both within and outside the country is a central part of his role. He said: “There’s plenty of scope for Welsh poetry to expand its audience beyond the 20% of people in Wales who already speak the language, both within the country and in the wider UK. After all, Welsh is part of Britain’s shared cultural heritage.” |
| With a background in television and a longstanding interest in combining poetry with performance, Glyn is planning to explore opportunities for poetry and video. He is also looking at other ways of broadening the national poet’s remit. | With a background in television and a longstanding interest in combining poetry with performance, Glyn is planning to explore opportunities for poetry and video. He is also looking at other ways of broadening the national poet’s remit. |
| “Having been brought up to speak Welsh in London, it’ll be interesting to work with people speaking other languages in Wales,” Glyn explained. | “Having been brought up to speak Welsh in London, it’ll be interesting to work with people speaking other languages in Wales,” Glyn explained. |
| Clarke welcomed the appointment of her successor, who she said “makes words dance on page and stage”. | Clarke welcomed the appointment of her successor, who she said “makes words dance on page and stage”. |
| “Ifor ap Glyn is a friend who will take on the baton with charm, and be an articulate voice for Wales and for poetry,” Clarke said. She talked about Glyn’s poem Gwers (Lesson) in which he observes Wales from a plane: “Passing over its fields, mountains, lakes, he mouths the place names, reclaiming them with language … Each national poet reinvents the role – as does the poet laureate – but I am confident he will speak up for Wales and for poetry.” | “Ifor ap Glyn is a friend who will take on the baton with charm, and be an articulate voice for Wales and for poetry,” Clarke said. She talked about Glyn’s poem Gwers (Lesson) in which he observes Wales from a plane: “Passing over its fields, mountains, lakes, he mouths the place names, reclaiming them with language … Each national poet reinvents the role – as does the poet laureate – but I am confident he will speak up for Wales and for poetry.” |
| The British poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, paid tribute to Clarke’s work as the Welsh national poet and spoke of her enthusiasm for a Welsh-language poet taking up the position. | The British poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, paid tribute to Clarke’s work as the Welsh national poet and spoke of her enthusiasm for a Welsh-language poet taking up the position. |
| Duffy said: “After the fantastic work by Gillian Clarke as national poet, it is exciting to see the role pass to a Welsh-language poet who I am sure will help to celebrate the Welsh language, which is among the greatest treasures of these islands.” | Duffy said: “After the fantastic work by Gillian Clarke as national poet, it is exciting to see the role pass to a Welsh-language poet who I am sure will help to celebrate the Welsh language, which is among the greatest treasures of these islands.” |
| Glyn is due to make his first public appearance as national poet at the Hay festival on 31 May, where he will perform with Clarke. He joins a roster which includes Wales’s first national poet, Gwyneth Lewis, who was appointed in 2005, and Gwyn Thomas, who served from 2006 until 2008. | Glyn is due to make his first public appearance as national poet at the Hay festival on 31 May, where he will perform with Clarke. He joins a roster which includes Wales’s first national poet, Gwyneth Lewis, who was appointed in 2005, and Gwyn Thomas, who served from 2006 until 2008. |
| Literature Wales have also appointed the poet and educator Sophie McKeand as young people’s laureate. She follows in the footsteps of the first young people’s laureate, Catherine Fisher, and Martin Daws, who has occupied the position since 2013. | Literature Wales have also appointed the poet and educator Sophie McKeand as young people’s laureate. She follows in the footsteps of the first young people’s laureate, Catherine Fisher, and Martin Daws, who has occupied the position since 2013. |