Owain Rhys wins the Crown at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham

North Wales Live

21 hours ago

Owain Rhys has been awarded the Crown at this year's National Eisteddfod in Wrexham. The poet, who was born in Llandwrog, near Caernarfon but has been living in Cardiff since he was a teenager, won for his collection of work about his mother living with dementia.
The Crown is sponsored by Elin Haf Davies and the cash prize of £750 is presented by Prydwen Elfed Owens, in memory of her parents and her happy childhood years in Bwlchgwyn.
The Crown was designed and produced by Neil Rayment and Elan Rowlands in their workshop in Cardiff Bay.
Poets were asked to submit a poem or a collection of poems without being in a poem, up to 250 lines, on the subject of 'Ruins'. The judges are Gwyneth Lewis, Siôn Aled and Ifor ap Glyn.
Delivering the adjudication from the stage Ifor ap Glyn said that Llif 2's (Owain Rhys' nom-de-plume) collection opens with a simple couplet and it discusses living with someone who suffers from dementia, namely the poet's mother. It is a calm and sensitive approach to what must be done to help the mother continue to live with dignity as her memory decays.
He said: "The collection presents a tender picture of a difficult situation that faces so many families today, and we sense the depth of the poet's feelings towards his mother, and her former strength. She in turn is compared to a trinity of strong women from our past, Rhiannon, Heledd and Buddug; and we share the poet's embarrassment at now having to help her sort out her own desk.
"This is a powerful and rich collection that grabbed me on the first reading, with each subsequent reading only revealing further layers to appreciate.
"In strong competition this year, it could have been discussed to crown Hafgan and Traed yn Dŵr, but Llif 2's collection is the most consistent and consistent in its quality."
There was also praise from Gwyneth Lewis in her adjudication: "The text is solid without being exaggerated. There are lovely touches, such as the poet talking about clearing a family archive and throwing family papers into a 'museum box'. A clear, thoughtful and tender lyrical voice runs through the poem, and Llif 2 has the ability to summarize an experience in a few words.
"Writing directly or being so spare-words is not easy. There is a special emotional and verbal care and it is a joy to award the Crown to Flow 2."
And like his fellow judges, Siôn Aled also praises the work of Llif 2 - although he believes that two other poets are also worthy of the Crown this year.
Owain Rhys lives in Cardiff with his wife, Lleucu Siencyn, and his children, Gruffudd and Dyddgu. After working for Amgueddfa Cymru for over twenty years, he now works in the field of community engagement and social value.
He was a member of the Aberhafren team, which has twice won the BBC Radio Cymru programme, Talwrn y Bairdd. He has also been victorious in the englyn competitions in the National Eisteddfod.
He has a degree in archaeology, and an MA in Museum Studies. He loves traveling Wales and the world to see castles, ruins and tombs.
He has been a fan of the Wrexham football team since the 1970s, and has experienced many disappointments (and some joys!) while supporting them over the years.