Organisers sorry for park and ride bus problems, as thousands flock to opening weekend
National Eisteddfod organisers have issued an apology to thousands of visitors who endured 45-minute queues to leave the Maes on the first day of competition in Llanelli.
More than 15,000 people attended Saturday’s events at the festival in the Carmarthenshire, despite the damp conditions.
The opening day attendance figure was down from 16,500 last year.
More than 15,000 people attended Saturday’s events at the festival in the Carmarthenshire, despite the damp conditions.
The opening day attendance figure was down from 16,500 last year.
But park and ride services designed to ferry all visitors to and from nearby car parks failed to deal with the numbers, with many complaining of long waits on social media.
Eisteddfod organisers have since apologised for the transport problems.
A spokesman said: “We apologise from the bottom of our hearts for all the problems with the park and ride buses, we are honestly doing everything possible to solve these issues.”
Organisers added that extra buses had been sourced to help ease congestion for the remainder of the week.
Sunday’s attendance of 15,484, meanwhile, was only slightly on last year’s comparable figure of 16,032.
On Saturday Sean Edwards from Cardiff was presented with the festival’s Gold Medal for Fine Art.
The 34-year-old’s film of a once-thriving shopping centre in Cardiff was described by award selectors as an “intensely human” work, imbued with “poignant sense of the passing of time and of place.”
The work, entitled Maelfa documents a small parade of shops in the Llanedeyrn suburb of Cardiff, where Mr Edwards grew up.
Opened in the early 1970s, the developers intended the shopping centre to become the central hub of a “utopian” early modernist social housing development, an aspiration it failed to fulfil.
The artist said: “I was delighted and very surprised to find out that Maelfa had won this year’s Gold Medal.
“The centre was an important presence in my own childhood, and is a subject I had been interested in capturing for many years.
“The film presents the centre as somewhere with a past and history, but that has not lived up to the grand ideas of what it could have been.
"Buildings and spaces, such as this, exist in towns and cities across the country, and the abstract nature of the film reflects the fact that Maelfa could easily depict any one of these.”
Saturday's other main prize was awarded to Cardiff architects Loyn and Co who won a gold award for their unique design of a Gower home.
On Sunday morning, meanwhile, more than 200 children aged between two and four from Welsh-medium playgroups in Carmarthenshire starred in a Nursery Pageant in the pink pavilion.
Jayne Thomas, Mudiad Meithrin’s Development Officer in Carmarthenshire, the author of the pageant said: “All the children have been absolutely brilliant, and they thoroughly enjoyed taking part - it was an unforgettable experience for both the children and their proud parents.”
If you are heading to the Eisteddfod and have Snapchat, send your selfies to our walesonline account.
We will be collecting them and featuring them online at the end of the festival.
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Eisteddfod weekend results
Bandiau Pres Dosbarth 4 – Brass Bands Class 4
1: Seindorf Arian yr Oakeley
2: Band Ieuenctid Abertyleri a’r Cylch
3: Band Ieuenctid Cwmtawe
Band Pres Dosbarth 3 – Brass Band Class 3
1: Band Ebbw Valley
2: Band Arian Tref Rhydaman
3: Band Awyrlu Sain Tathan
Côr Cymysg dros 45 mewn nifer – Mixed Choir over 45 in number
1: Côr Llanddarog a’r Cylch
2: Côr CF1
3: Côr Bro Meirion
Unawd Telyn dan 16 oed – Harp Solo under 16 yrs
1:Anwen Mai Thomas, Caerdydd
2:Hattie Taylor, Grangetown, Caerdydd
3:Rhys Whatty, Birchgrove, Abertawe
Unawd Chwythbrennau dan 16 oed – Woodwind solo under 16 yrs
1: Lleucu Parri, Pontcanna, Caerdydd
2: Hana Abas, Bangor
3: Ioan Price, Caerfyrddin
Cyflwyniad Dramatig i Grŵp - Group drama presentation
1: Criw Maes y Gwendraeth
Actor mwyaf addawol cystadleuaeth – Most promising actor
1: Cellan Wyn Evans, Ysgol y Gwendraeth
Cystadleuaeth Offerynnol Traddodiadol Unigol – Traditional Solo Instrument
1: Math Roberts, Cwm-y-Glo, Caernarfon
Bandiau Pres Dosbarth 1/Pencampwriaeth – Brass bands class 1 / Championship
1: Band Pres Porth Tywyn
2: Band Dinas Caerdydd (Melinfruffydd)
3: Seindorf Arian Deiniolen
Llefaru Unigol dan 12 oed – Solo recital under 12 yrs
1: Gwenan Mars Lloyd, Llanynys, Dinbych, Sir Ddinbych
2: Manw Lili Robin, Rhostryfan, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
3: Owain Siôn, Llanfairpwll, Ynys Môn
Unawd dan 12 oed – Solo under 12 yrs
1: Siôn Dafydd Edwards, Llanrwst, Conwy
2: Sophie Jones, Pontsenni, Aberhonddu, Powys
3: Cadi Gwen Williams, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Côr hyd at 35 mewn nifer – Choir up to 35 in number
1: Côr Tonic
2: Cywair
3: Bechgyn Bro Taf
Unawd Cerdd Dant dan 12 oed – Cerdd dant solo under 12 yrs
1: Owain John, Llansannan, Dinbych
2: Cadi Gwen Williams, Rhydyfelin, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
3: Siôn Dafydd Edwards, Llanrwst, Conwy,
Unawd Alaw Werin dan 12 oed – Alaw Werin Solo under 12 yrs
1: Sôn Dafydd Edwards, Llanrwst, Conwy
2: Owain John, Llansannan, Dinbych
3: Fflur Wyn Davies, Llandeilo, Sir Gaerfyrddin
Unawd Llinynnau dan 16 oed – String solo under 16 yrs
1: Charlie Lovell-Jones, Llanisien, Caerdydd
2: Rhys Wynn Newton, Treganna, Caerdydd
Unawd Piano dan 16 oed – Piano solo under 16 yrs
1: Adam Jackson, Abergwaun, Sir Benfro
2: Math Roberts, Cwm-y-glo, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
3: Bill Atkins, Rhaeadr, Powys
Unawd Offerynnau Pres dan 16 oed – Brass Solo under 16 yrs
1: Tomos Llewelyn Herd, Penisarwaun, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
2: Gethin Wyn Jones, Llanrug, Caernarfon, Gwynedd
Cyfansoddi - Composition
Rob Nicholls, Bae Caerdydd
Chwech o ganeuon unsain ar gyfer ysgolion cynradd – Six songs one voice for primary schools
Morfudd Sinclair, Stourport on Severn, Swydd Gaerwrangon
Carol Blygain i ddau neu dri llais yn y dull traddodiadol – Plygain carol for two or three voices in traditional format
1: Martin Davies, Llanelli, Sir Gaerfyrddin
2: Hugh Gwynne, Cricieth, Gwynedd.
