(The Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales, Neath, 1934)
Cadeirio'r Bardd Buddogot
(The Chairing of the Bard Ceremony)
The Presidential Address by The Right
Hon. DAVID LLOYD GEORGE , O.M., M.P. and The Adjudication on the Chair Poem and Ceremony of Chairing the successful
Bard
Relayed from The Eisteddfod Pavilion,
Neath
The Ceremony will be under the direction of the Archdruid, GWlLI, and the Gorsedd Recorder, GWYLFA
The Chairing Song sung by LOUISE
DAVIES-EVANS (soprano)
(From Cardiff)
Ystyrir seremoni Cadeirio'r Bardd yn un o ddigwyddiadau pwysicaf yr wythnos. Rhoddir y gadair bob blwyddyn yn wobr am awdl yn y mesurau caethion, a chan fod pob ymgeisydd yn ysgrifennu dan ffug-enw, nid ydyw enw'r buddugwr yn wybyddus hyd adeg dechreu'r seremoni. Mae'r dorf yn llawn cynnwrf yn eu hawydd i wybod pwy fydd y bardd buddugol. Weithiau atelir y gadair o herwydd safon isel yr awdlau a anfonwyd i mewn, ond mawr obeithir na ddigwydd hynny heddiw, gan y bydd siomiant mawr yn y dorf anferth os na fydd yna gadeirio. Y mae presennoldeb Mr. Lloyd George yn seremoni'r Cadeirio bel'ach yn draddodiad a ryhdd bob blwyddyn araith i'w gydwladwyr.
The Chairing of the Bard Ceremony is generally considered to be one of the most important events of the week. The Chair is awarded each year for an ode written in strict Welsh metres and as each competitor writes under a nom de plume, the identity of the winner is not known until the actual ceremony begins. The excitement is great, for it is considered that a man does not achieve greatness as a Welsh poet until he has won the Chair. On some occasions the Chair has been withheld on account of the low standard of the poems submitted: it is to be hoped that this will not happen today, as the vast assembly is bitterly disappointed if it is denied the ceremony of the Chairing of the Bard. It has now become a tradition for Mr. Lloyd George to be present at the Chairing Ceremony, and this is an occasion when he addresses his own people in their own tongue.
Even though a large number of listeners will not understand Welsh, they may well be thrilled by the drama and dignity of the ceremony, and quickly appreciate its atmosphere.
