Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18

Subject: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 04:53 AM

The National Eisteddfod returns to Cardiff today.

This is mainly being held in the Cardiff Bay area.

I hope to get down there once or twice over the weekend.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 04:55 AM

A celebration of the Welsh language and culture of Wales, the aim of this year's 'fence-free festival' is to give the widest audience possible a taste of what the language has to offer - with a warm welcome whether you speak Welsh or not.

The best in Welsh music, literature, drama, dance, visual arts, food, science and technology will be on offer and much more.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Splott Man
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 07:01 AM

Splott Man & Dame Pattie are part of a combo competing on Wednesday.

Not fence-free I'm afraid. They have to protect the stalls overnight.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 07:16 AM

I believe the 'fence-free' bit relates to there not being payment on the gate to access the 'Maes' (literally 'the field') although there may be charges for certain performance venues.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 08:57 AM

My wife intends going to support her niece in one of categories...

...and any excuse to look round Cardiff shops...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 09:08 AM

Probably a 20 minute walk from the main shopping centre.
Cardiff Bay is mainly Catering (pus, eateries) and entertainment.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 09:42 AM

We live just over the channel in my homeland Scrumpyshire, the wife is a valleys girl and absolutely loves Cardiff.

If we could afford it, which we never will, the only cities we would want to live in are Bristol or Cardiff...
Exeter a marginal 3rd choice...

[15 years in London was more than enough for me...]

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 05 Aug 18 - 08:04 PM

I went down yesterday.
A great idea having the 'Maes' open to all, with no entry fee.
Although entry to some of the sites needed payment, there was a large BBC stage in the 'Oval Basin' which was free to watch/listen, with welsh mixed voice choirs while I was there. Also a couple of tents/marquees with performers singing for the passers by.
Just to set peoples minds at rest who might consider visiting, it is not all Welsh language.
I could just about manage enough Welsh to buy a couple of songbooks from one of the stalls, and I passed 'O' level 40+ years ago.
But all the stallholders are bi-lingual, and happy to converse in English as well.

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 06 Aug 18 - 12:17 AM

My mrs and her middle aged to elderly South Welsh Valleys relatives can't speak Welsh apart from basics picked up over the years.
But her family are now a mix of South & North Welsh by marriages over the last 2 to 3 decades.
So all the newest generation in their teens and 20s are perfectly bilingual...

Although we live across the Bristol channel, our home is dominated by the wife's proud/belligerent Welsh identity...

I think her family are resigned to tolerating me to some extent,
but would prefer if she'd married a good chapel going Welshman with a good job and a nice car...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 06 Aug 18 - 12:20 AM

I forget to add she has a small gang of ex-pat Welsh women in our town;
at least another one of them plans on visiting the Eisteddfod
for a day or 2...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Splott Man
Date: 07 Aug 18 - 05:57 AM

The Dame and I are part of Sesiwn Caerdydd and we are competing in the competition for Instrumental/Vocal Groups in Ty Gwerin on Wednesday afternoon. Sometime between 2:15 and 3:15.
Then after the adjudication it's hotfoot to Pontyclun to set up Llantrisant Folk club for Les Barker.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Aug 18 - 06:22 AM

Is Les a sell-out now you've got a bigger site?

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 18 - 09:32 PM

Splotty, who competed? How did the ranking go? It's usually a hair's breadth between the groups.   So much quality!

sian

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: Splott Man
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 06:29 AM

There was us, regulars Tawerin and their children's group, Tawerin Bach.
First was Tawerin Bach, then us, then Tawerin.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 02:13 PM

The wife's niece did quite well - she'll probably end up a judge eventually...
She's [along with myself... errrrrmmm...what...???] the cleverest and most talented one in our family...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 02:22 PM

We looked on Sky+ for catch up programs and were astonished by how many episodes and hours there are this years...!!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p008ycq1

good luck to anyone trying to watch all that in the 26 days remaining online...

Subject: RE: Eisteddfod Cardiff (Wales) from 3/8/18
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 05:21 PM

Was down at the bay on Wednesday evening after work - saw a duo consisting of one woman singing and playing squeezebox with another on fiddle. The music stopped me in my tracks, and I stayed for several of theirs before eventually continuing home over the barrage. Made a mental note to find out who they were, and seeing this thread reminded me to do it. I've just identified the singer as Stacey Blythe of bands Ffynnon and Elfen, while I think the violin player was Helina Rees, also of Elfen.

It's really lovely just running into that kind of music on an evening commute. Here's a video of Elfen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oHOL-fPlOw