List Of Writers

THOMAS, GWYN

Gwyn Thomas is Emeritus Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Bangor. Born in 1936 in Tanygrisiau and raised in Blaenau Ffestiniog, he was educated at Ysgol Sir Ffestiniog, University of Wales, Bangor and Jesus College, Oxford.

Gwyn Thomas’ translation into English of the Mabinogion is perhaps the finest English language version of one of the brightest jewels of European literature; it also represents Gwyn’s supreme skill as a communicator on many levels: an academic of the highest order, he can also write delightfully for children. Recently he published, in Welsh and English, a book on King Arthur, with illustrations by Margaret Jones; his Mabinogion was co–authored by Kevin Crossley–Holland.

Gwyn as poet has published 16 volumes of poetry – his first, Chwerwder yn y Ffynhonnau (Bitterness in the Fountains) in 1962 and one of the latest Apocalups Yfory (Apocalypse Tomorrow) in 2005. His work has also been translated into English: Gwyn Thomas,  Living a Life: Selected Poems, Translated by Joseph P. Clancy and Gwyn Thomas (Bridges Books, Amsterdam 1982).

Gwyn as literary and cultural critic has published several volumes of essays, critiques, adaptations and translations, including the classic Y Traddodiad Barddol – a study of the bardic traditions in Wales.

Unusually, he has stayed at the forefront of developments in the media and has consistently been an advocate of the film industry in Wales. He helped pioneer techniques combining poetry and film and one of the earliest examples was his television poem for Martin Luther King, Cadwynau yn y Meddwl (Shackles of the Mind). He was one of the poets featured in the 2001 film Dal: Yma / Nawr, with international film stars Matthew Rhys and Ioan Gruffudd. Gwyn also adapted the Mabinogi tales for S4C’s animated film in 2002.

In accepting the post, Gwyn Thomas hopes to: “draw attention to the poets of Wales and their work, and try to show that poetry is a unique medium to respond to the world in which we live”. 

During his term as National Poet, Gwyn Thomas will be celebrating his 70th birthday. He will be reading and discussing his work in public, as well as writing poems for significant national events and occasions. A new volume of poetry will be published next year by Barddas and Gwasg Gwynedd has recently published his autobiography.

The photograph of Gwyn displayed above is copyright to Owain Llyr.


Selected Publications:
Poetry:
Chwerwder yn y Ffynhonnau
Y Weledigaeth Haearn
Ysgyrion Gwaed
Enw’r Gair
Cadwynau yn y Meddwl (Gwasg Gee, 1976)
Gwelaf Afon (Gwasg Gee, 1990)
Y Pethau Diwethaf a Phethau Eraill (Gwasg Gee, 1994)
Croesi Traeth (Gwasg Gee, 1994)
Symud y Lliwiau
Am Ryw Hyd (Gwasg Gee, 1996)
Darllen y Meini (Gwasg Gee, 1998)
Gweddnewidio (Gwasg Gee, 2000)
Anifeiliaid y Maes Hefyd (gyda ffotograffau Ted Breeze Jones)
Yli (gyda ffotograffau Ted Breeze Jones)
Apocalups Yfory (Barddas, 2005)
Blaenau Ffestiniog (Gomer, 2007)
Teyrnas Y Tywyllwch (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas, 2007)

Literary Criticism:
Y Bardd Cwsg a’i Gefndir
Ellis Wynne (Writers of Wales) (University of Wales Press, 1984)
Alun Llywelyn-Williams (Pantycelyn, 1988)
Dadansoddi 14
Gair am Air (GPC, 2000)
Y Traddodiad Barddol (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2002)
Dafydd ap Gwilym, Gur wrth Gerdd (Canolfan Uwchefrydiau Cymreig a Cheltaidd Prifysgol Cymru, 2003)

Translations:
Diwéddgan (Samuel Beckett)
Y Dymestl (William Shakespeare)
Breuddwyd Nos tyl Ifan (William Shakespeare)
Dafydd ap Gwilym, His Poems

Edited:
Y gyfres: Dramâu’r Byd
Presenting Saunders Lewis (gydag Alun R. Jones)
John Gwilym Jones, Cyfrol Deyrnged
Yr Aelwyd Hon
Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsg (gyda Patrick J Donovan)

Others:
Sawl Math o Gath (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2002)
Culhwch ac Olwen (Addasiad newydd)
The Quest for Olwen (gyda Kevin Crossley-Holland)
Taliesin
The Tale of Taliesin (gyda Kevin Crossley-Holland)
Dafydd ap Gwilym
The Story of Dafydd ap Gwilym (Y Lolfa, 2004)
Madog (Y Lofa, 2005)
Madog, the First White American (Y Lolfa, 2005)
Y Brenin Arthur (Y Lolfa, 2006)
King Arthur (Y Lolfa, 2006)
Y Mabinogi (addasiad newydd) (Y Lolfa, 2006)
Tales from the Mabinogion (gyda Kevin Crossley-Holland) (Y Lolfa, 2006)
Bywyd Bach (Gwasg Gwynedd, 2006)