This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7822778.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Writer who mixed with icons dies | Writer who mixed with icons dies |
| (3 days later) | |
| A writer whose associates included poet Dylan Thomas, legendary singer Edith Piaf and artist Pablo Picasso has died. | A writer whose associates included poet Dylan Thomas, legendary singer Edith Piaf and artist Pablo Picasso has died. |
| Eluned Phillips, from Cenarth, near Cardigan, passed away aged 94 in Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthenshire on Saturday. | |
| Born on the same day as Thomas in 1914, she mixed in the same Bohemian circles in the 1930s. | Born on the same day as Thomas in 1914, she mixed in the same Bohemian circles in the 1930s. |
| She was also believed to be the oldest member of the National Eisteddfod's Gorsedd of the Bards. | She was also believed to be the oldest member of the National Eisteddfod's Gorsedd of the Bards. |
| Archdruid Dic Jones said he understood she had been a member of the Gorsedd - an association whose members consist of poets, writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a contribution to Welsh language and culture - since the 1930s. | Archdruid Dic Jones said he understood she had been a member of the Gorsedd - an association whose members consist of poets, writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a contribution to Welsh language and culture - since the 1930s. |
| "She was probably the oldest member of the Gorsedd and certainly the most faithful," he said. | "She was probably the oldest member of the Gorsedd and certainly the most faithful," he said. |
| Eluned Phillips met some of the 20th Century's most infuential arts figures | Eluned Phillips met some of the 20th Century's most infuential arts figures |
| "She was a character, there's no doubt about that. She had the strange quality of being mysterious and accessible at the same time." | "She was a character, there's no doubt about that. She had the strange quality of being mysterious and accessible at the same time." |
| Andrew Gilbert, a good friend of the writer, was with her when she died. | Andrew Gilbert, a good friend of the writer, was with her when she died. |
| He said she picked up a cold after Christmas and developed pneumonia. | He said she picked up a cold after Christmas and developed pneumonia. |
| "Eluned will be well missed, she was a lovely, lovely woman," he said. | "Eluned will be well missed, she was a lovely, lovely woman," he said. |
| "She was like a mother to me and my partner Bernadette. We stayed with her when we first moved to Cenarth. We were blessed to have known her." | "She was like a mother to me and my partner Bernadette. We stayed with her when we first moved to Cenarth. We were blessed to have known her." |
| Ms Phillips published her memoirs in 2007 after her family persuaded her to share her memories of some of the world's most famous writers and artists. | Ms Phillips published her memoirs in 2007 after her family persuaded her to share her memories of some of the world's most famous writers and artists. |
| In her book - The Reluctant Redhead - she revealed that, although she shared a love of writing and poetry with Thomas, she did never really got on with him. | In her book - The Reluctant Redhead - she revealed that, although she shared a love of writing and poetry with Thomas, she did never really got on with him. |
| She told the BBC News website, shortly before her 93rd birthday: "Either he was too drunk to talk or in a world of his own." | She told the BBC News website, shortly before her 93rd birthday: "Either he was too drunk to talk or in a world of his own." |
| "I was an ignorant girl from the country really and Dylan was a bit of a scrounger. | "I was an ignorant girl from the country really and Dylan was a bit of a scrounger. |
| "I like most of his work - it's just I did not like his way of life." | "I like most of his work - it's just I did not like his way of life." |
| In 1983 she became the only woman to win the National Eisteddfod crown twice | In 1983 she became the only woman to win the National Eisteddfod crown twice |
| The pair met through their mutual friend the artist Augustus John, a man she had far more time for. | The pair met through their mutual friend the artist Augustus John, a man she had far more time for. |
| "Augustus was so generous - but he had an ego and could get out of hand," she said. | "Augustus was so generous - but he had an ego and could get out of hand," she said. |
| She also wrote of her friendship with Piaf, who she met after travelling to Paris. | She also wrote of her friendship with Piaf, who she met after travelling to Paris. |
| "When she sang I had never heard anything like it - it paralysed me," said Ms Phillips. | "When she sang I had never heard anything like it - it paralysed me," said Ms Phillips. |
| "We talked a lot - she was wonderful, really a very nice person. | "We talked a lot - she was wonderful, really a very nice person. |
| "She was a very capable person - quite religious - it was a marvellous time." | "She was a very capable person - quite religious - it was a marvellous time." |
| Another anecdote she recalled was the time she travelled to Spain to meet Pablo Picasso. | Another anecdote she recalled was the time she travelled to Spain to meet Pablo Picasso. |
| She told Piaf of her desire to meet the artist and the singer set the meeting up. | She told Piaf of her desire to meet the artist and the singer set the meeting up. |
| "He had a sense of humour. He took me into his studio, made coffee and we spent an afternoon going through his pictures. He really was a kind person," she said. | "He had a sense of humour. He took me into his studio, made coffee and we spent an afternoon going through his pictures. He really was a kind person," she said. |
| Ms Phillips first became a household name with Welsh-speaking families 40 years ago when she won the crown at the National Eisteddfod, becoming only the second woman to win the competition. | Ms Phillips first became a household name with Welsh-speaking families 40 years ago when she won the crown at the National Eisteddfod, becoming only the second woman to win the competition. |
| Then in 1983 she repeated the achievement and remains the only woman to do so. | Then in 1983 she repeated the achievement and remains the only woman to do so. |