In conjunction with Cymdeithas Aberteifi and a local charity, 4CG, a group of enthusiasts are in the process of creating ‘Awen Tabernacl’, the Welsh Poetry Centre. They feel that Wales with its rich poetry tradition should have a designated poetry centre, especially considering every other home nation in the UK has a least one, and that it would be fitting to have it in the town of the birth place of the eisteddfod, Cardigan. The poetry centre would be located on Cardigan High Street, with the Tabernacle Chapel housing a poetry library, poetry exhibitions, digital interpretations and an event area. The vestry would be used to hold seminars, poetry experiences and discussions held by the resident poet who would be housed in the Chapel House.
The ‘Hendre’ family have already offered the loan of the library of the late Archdruid Dic Jones as a base for the poetry library. Preliminary links have been made with the Museum of Literature in Dublin and the Seamus Heaney Homeplace in Bellaghy, both of which have offered support in setting up a poetry centre in Wales. Support has also come from Gwyneth Lewis, the first Welsh poet laureate and Ceri Wyn Jones, a two time bardic chair winner. Local groups and councillors are supporting the campaign as well as Coleg Ceredigion, who will undertake some of the alterations to the Tabernacle, and the University of Wales Trinity St David.
The group is seeking support from those who have an interest in poetry, poetry societies as well as organisations involved in Welsh heritage and culture and are seeking e-mails from as many people as possible to demonstrate the widespread support for a centre for Welsh poetry be they in Welsh or English. Please reply to Rich Jones at ‘oernant@yahoo.co.uk‘ or ‘castellarl@proton.me’ and, if you require it, he would be happy to provide further information about their plans and ideas.
Ar y cyd â Chymdeithas Aberteifi ac elusen leol, 4CG, mae criw o selogion yn y broses o greu ‘Awen Tabernacl’, Canolfan Farddoniaeth Gymraeg. Teimlant y dylai fod gan Gymru a’i thraddodiad barddoniaeth gyfoethog ganolfan farddoniaeth ddynodedig, yn enwedig o ystyried bod gan bob gwlad arall yn y DU un o leiaf, ac y byddai’n addas ei chael yn nhref man geni’r eisteddfod, sef Aberteifi. Byddai’r ganolfan farddoniaeth ei lleoli ar Stryd Fawr Aberteifi, gyda Chapel y Tabernacl yn cynnwys llyfrgell farddoniaeth, arddangosfeydd barddoniaeth, dehongliadau digidol a safle digwyddiadau. Byddai’r festri’n cael ei defnyddio i gynnal seminarau, gweithgareddau barddoniaeth a thrafodaethau gan y bardd preswyl a fyddai’n cael ei gartrefu yn y Tŷ Capel.
Mae teulu’r ‘Hendre’ eisoes wedi cynnig benthyg llyfrgell y diweddar Archdderwydd Dic Jones fel sail i’r llyfrgell farddoniaeth. Mae cysylltiadau rhagarweiniol wedi’u gwneud gyda’r Amgueddfa Lenyddiaeth yn Nulyn a’r Seamus Heaney Homeplace yn Bellaghy, sydd ill dau wedi cynnig cymorth i sefydlu canolfan farddoniaeth yng Nghymru. Cafwyd cefnogaeth hefyd gan Gwyneth Lewis, bardd llawryfog cyntaf Cymru a Ceri Wyn Jones, enillydd cadair farddol ddwywaith. Mae grwpiau a chynghorwyr lleol yn cefnogi’r ymgyrch yn ogystal â Choleg Ceredigion, a fydd yn gwneud rhai o’r newidiadau i’r Tabernacl, a hefyd Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant.
Mae’r grwp yn chwilio am gefnogaeth gan y rhai sydd â diddordeb mewn barddoniaeth, cymdeithasau barddoniaeth yn ogystal â sefydliadau sy’n ymwneud â threftadaeth a diwylliant Cymru ac yn chwilio am e-byst gan gynifer o bobl â phosibl i ddangos y gefnogaeth eang i ganolfan barddoniaeth Gymraeg, boed hynny yn Gymraeg neu yn Saesneg. Anfonwch atebion at Rich Jones ar ‘oernant@yahoo.co.uk‘ neu ‘castellarl@proton.me‘ ac, os ydych ei angen, byddai’n hapus i ddarparu rhagor o wybodaeth am eu cynlluniau a’u syniadau.