My Hill of Dreams: The Story of Myfanwy Haycock

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My Hill of Dreams: The story of Myfanwy Haycock

Factual: Life Stories

BBC Radio Wales - My Hill of Dreams: The Story of Myfanwy Haycock

The untold story of one of Wales' most endearing and talented female poets.

Pontypool-born broadcaster Jenni Crane tells the astonishing undiscovered story of Myfanwy Haycock - one of the town's most endearing and talented female poets.

Pontypool poet, artist and National Eisteddfod winner Myfanwy Haycock left her hometown in the 1940’s to fulfil her ambition of becoming a journalist and playwright at the BBC in London. To mark the 60th anniversary of her premature death, this programme tells her astonishingly untold story through the personal discoveries of Pontypool-born broadcaster Jenni Crane. 

Jenni is on a mission to revive Myfanwy's legacy within the town of Pontypool and beyond. With the help of the community, she hopes to set up an eight-mile audio poetry trail follwing in Myfanwy's foosteps taking in all the places from which she drew inspiration. With the help of local artist Chris Wood, Jenni comes up with an idea to create a tangible reminder in Pontypool Park in the form of a sculpture. Will these ambitions be realised?

Speaking with Welsh artists and poets Jenni questions why Myfanwy has become a forgotten voice 'lost in the attics of obscurity'. From personal accounts of Dylan Thomas knocking on Myfanwy’s door to WH Davies’s endorsement at the National Eisteddfod, this programme digs beneath Myfanwy’s prose and newspaper articles to reveal a story of love, hope, hiraeth and ambition. 

Contributors:
Arthur Crane, author and local historian
Jo Crane-Brown, schoolteacher
Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales
Peter Lord, art historian 
Robert Seatter, BBC Head of History
Catrin Pascoe, Editor, Western Mail
Chris Wood, sculptor
Dr. Godfrey Brangham, author
School children winners: Jaime-Leigh Jones, Hannah Armstrong, Lucie Blake and Danny Day.

This programme contains never previously broadcast audio recordings of Myfanwy reciting her own poetry.
Myfanwy’s poetry used with thanks to Amgueddfa Torfaen Museum, Western Mail, South Wales Argus & Pontypool Free Press.

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