The Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2014 is to be held in Llanelli between 1-9 August. The latest is that there won’t be an SSiW stand this year and, as Aran and Catrin won’t be making the trip south, there won’t be an ‘official’ party/bbq/gathering either.
I thought last year was really nice, we basically hung around at the end of the day, bought some food and had a good chin wag … In Welsh or not, whatever.
Seeing as this isn’t official it isn’t a discussion about when because I’m going on Thursday 7th with my family and I know Vaughan is going on that day too so I was hoping that if other people are going and haven’t decided on a day this could swing your decision so you could join us later for food and a chat.
If this gathers pace and someone would like to suggest a family friendly place for food fairly local then we can discuss it here too.
Aran and myself apologise for not being able to make it this year after all.
Each time we sat down to discuss our original plans for attending, we got tripped up by all sorts of challenging factors from finances to varying family commitments.
We therefore decided to knock it on the head and just admit that it wasn’t going to happen.
As far as a social gathering is concerned, we’ve always found that the Thursday afternoon/evening of the Eisteddfod week is easier for arranging get togethers as there aren’t too many other big events that evening .
As Geraint has said, meeting close to a food court on the maes and not too far from the bar worked well last year. Some brought food and drink with them, some bought food and drink once there, I brought chocolate cup cakes and once we found a comfortable place to sit, we chilled out and socialised.
Otherwise in previous years we’ve had a BBQ at a local pub with an open mike session and we’ve also had a bring your own BBQ at a self catering holiday home we were hiring for the week - both great evenings.
Diolch Geraint for getting to grips with beginning to coordinate a meet up - ti’n seren!
We can’t be there this year, but we really enjoyed the get-together last year, and I recommend it to anyone who is lucky enough to be at the Eisteddfod this year!
Pawb, why don’t we make the Tursday (7th) into an SSiW rolling rally day based on Maes D? No formalities at all, just a meeting place for waifs and strays. I will be installed camping on Maes B from the night before and can start things rolling on the day - just use my large Breton flag as a marker…as Gruntius has suggsted this can develop into a pic-nic later in day. I believe that Dafydd Iwan is playing an acoustic gig on Maes D during that afternoon also as is his custom…so there’s another good reason to be around…gobeith o gwel’ch a’r Maes Lllanelli
The map of the maes will go online a bit before the Eisteddfod itself, as I remember, which should help you figure out what to use as a rallying place apart from Maes D.
Diolch Diane…is anyone else on this Forum staying on Maes B? The price for four days works out at £65 which includes unlimited admission to the Eisteddfod field, and you get to hear some terrific music up close as well. Slept like a log there last year, just checked the tent out, dydw I ddim yn gallu aros.
I definitely hope to be there - I’ll promise for definite a bit closer to the date!
Diolch Gruntius for taking a lead, and I hope that Thursday is sutiable for everyone.
If not, mind, there’s nothing to stop people from putting “I’m in the Eisteddfod oin Tuesday” style posts up. Let’s see what happens closer to the date.
I’d made very tentative plans to be there on the Monday, but will try and make it on the Thursday instead as it would be great to meet up with everyone. This’ll be the first Eisteddfod I’ve been to since I was a kid, and definitely the first one where I’ll be doing a bit of siarad yn Gymraeg! Disgwyl ymlaen ato fe yn fawr iawn!
Stuart: is anyone else on this Forum staying on Maes B?
I was hoping to stay on the maes, but it seems that you can’t camp for one or two nights, so I need to do some searching around the local area. Hopefully they’re not already booked up!
I’ll be at the Eisteddfod on the Thursday with various commitments throughout the day but would love to meet up with other SSIWers. If I come to the Hwb/Fflic stand in Maes D every now and then I might meet up with anyone else in the world that is SSIW.
Hi all, without a map of the maes at hand I don’t know the layout but if I suggest meeting up in Maes D at the Hwb stand at 5pm. By then I would have found somewhere suitable to sit around after buying food obviously taking weather conditions into the equation.
Gareth and I will be on the Maes Monday - Friday. We haven’t looked at the programme yet and Gareth is on the Prifysgol Abertawe stand on Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully we will be going to see Dyled Eileen at Coleg Sir Gar one evening. I will probably do the same as last year and pop into Maes D periodically through the day - distractions permitting!
For those who haven’t been to the Eisteddfod before, Maes D is usually centrally located on the Maes, next door to the Exhibition Hall.
I’m definitely going to try and go on the Thurs. I’ve never been before, and it’s too close this year to miss! Hope to see a few friendly faces at the stand /Maes D. Can’t wait! As for the weather Stu - lets settle for dry above all else; I needed a swimming costume at the urdd eisteddford last year!
