Wales: The National Eisteddfod (2): the winner is revealed

The winner here is of the Eisteddfod chair - the highest honour - which goes to the best poem written in 'cynghanedd' - a form of strict metre following certain rules and patterns. There is no guarantee that there will be a winner, if the judges deem none of the entrants reach certain standards. At the time of judging, the adjudication panel do not know the real identity of the winner as all entrants use a pseudonym. In this case the entrant chose the name 'Gwenno'. Only after the winning poem is chosen do the panel find out the identity. Following a long speech in which the chair of the panel talks through the best entries, and explains how the judging went, the Archdruid calls on the winner (who is sitting somewhere inconspicuously in the audience) to make him or herself known. The TV camera finds out where the winner is by the ripple of applause from those sitting near, who themselves won't know until this moment.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Wales
• events
• eisteddfod
• culture
• ceremony
• druids
• bards
• Welsh