In her daily working life, Mererid Hopwood is Professor at the Welsh and Celtic Studies Department at Aberystwyth University. She has loved languages and literature since her school days. She has won the Chair, Crown and Prose Medal at the National Eisteddfod, and her collection of poems entitled Nes Draw, (Gomer, 2015) won the Wales Book of the Year Welsh-language Poetry Award in 2016. She was Bardd Plant Cymru (Welsh-language children’s Laureate) and received the Tir na n-Og award for one of her novels for children in 2018. She is now a grandmother of five and adores creating all kinds of stories to entertain her grandchildren. She has enjoyed many opportunities to discuss literature in clubs, societies, and classrooms across Wales, and occasionally participated in literature festivals overseas. She participates in Welsh-language poetry contests (talyrnau ac ymrysonau) and is a member of Ysgol Farddol Caerfyrddin. She received the Glyndŵr Medal, a St David’s Medal from the First Minister of Wales, and the Hay Festival Medal for her contribution to literature. She is an honorary president of the Waldo Williams Society. Aside from literature, she is the secretary of Academi Heddwch Cymru, and particularly enjoyed participating in a Welsh-language project Hawlio Heddwch (Demanding Peace), which celebrates the centenary of Welsh women’s Peace Petition. Since 2025, she is Archdruid, the head of the Gorsedd of the Bards
Welsh-language Course: Cynganeddu
This is a Welsh-language course looking at the ancient craft of the cynghanedd. Click through to the Welsh side of the website for more details. We encourage those who are learning Welsh to a higher level, or those who have lost confidence in their Welsh skills but are looking to get back into it, to join us on these Welsh-language courses – where you will be met by encouragement and support. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss the suitability of these courses for you.
Bursaries
One £250 bursary space is available for this course. To apply, please complete this application form Deadline for applications: Friday 14 February 2025
For further information about the support available, please visit our Financial Assistance page: https://tynewydd.wales/courses-retreats/financial-support/
Tutors
Mererid Hopwood
Ceri Wyn Jones
Ceri Wyn Jones is from Cardigan and has won the Chair of the National Eisteddfod twice, along with the Crown, and is the esteemed Meuryn, presenter and judge of BBC Radio Cymru's popular Y Talwrn series. He has been Bardd Plant Cymru (Welsh-language Children’s Laureate) and has published volumes of poetry for children and adults. Having pursued a career as an English teacher and subsequently as a book editor, he now freelances as a writer, broadcaster, editor and creative writing tutor. He has held cyngangeddu classes in Cardigan for over fifteen years and has tutored courses at Tŷ Newydd many times in the past.
Guest Reader
Carwyn Eckley
Carwyn Eckley hails from Pen-y-groes, Dyffryn Nantlle. He lives in Cardiff where he works as a journalist with ITV Cymru's Welsh Department, which produces Y Byd ar Bedwar and Y Byd y ei Le. His interest in literature was ignited when his mother gave him a copy of Harry Potter as a very young boy, before becoming interested in Welsh poetry at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle. He studied Professional Welsh at Aberystwyth University and learnt cynghanedd with Eurig Salisbury. He won the Eisteddfod Rhyng-golegol Chair during his third year, before winning the Urdd Chair in 2020-21. He is a member of the Caernarfon Talwrn y Beirdd team, Dros yr Aber and they’ve won the series four times. Carwyn won the Bardid Chair at Eisteddfod Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024.