The Early Eisteddfodau – by Steven Graham
As excitement builds for the first Valleys National Eisteddfod in decades in Pontypridd this August, Cynon Valley Museum Trust is pleased to be sharing the excellent research of local historian and Cynon Valley History Society Member Steven Graham. Steven has written a book (in Englisih) about The Eisteddfodau of Rhondda Cynon Taf (which is available in full on the Cynon Valley History Society website).
This case displays objects from the Museum’s Eisteddfod collection.
Below we repost a link to chapter 1: Early Eisteddfodau
Chapter 1: ‘Early Eisteddfodau’
from ‘The Eisteddfodau of Rhondda Cynon Taf’
by Steven Graham, Published 2024
‘The National Eisteddfod of Wales is a cultural festival held during the first week of August every year which alternates between north and south Wales. What does the noun eisteddfod originate from?
It is derived from the verb eistedd ‘to sit’ and literally means a ‘sitting together’, a session (probably competitive from its beginning) of bards and minstrels intent on exercising and advancing their crafts in the presence of a distinguished patron.1
The first ever event which resembled an eisteddfod took place at Cardigan Castle under the auspices of Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1176.”
Read the chapter in full here:
