Swansea University is very much looking forward to the National Eisteddfod, held this year in Llantood, north Pembrokeshire. Our main offering will be in the Literary Pavilion, Y Babell Lên, once again, and will include the Hywel Teifi Memorial Lecture which is held every year on Thursday. Come and see us between August 1 – 8.
Here are the events organised by Swansea University in Y Babell Lên:
Easing Trauma by Writing | Dr Angharad Wyn with Mari Grug and Ifan Phillips discuss the process of writing following traumatic experiences. There will also be a special contribution on screen from Professor Chief Bard Tudur Hallam. Organised in partnership with Y Lolfa | Monday, 3 August at 11:45am
Y Chwiban Olaf (The Last Whistle) | The broadcaster and sports commentator, Huw Llywelyn Davies, in conversation with international rugby referee, Nigel Owens, sharing stories from the rugby field and his autobiography. Organised in partnership with Y Lolfa | Tuesday, 4 August at 10:30am
On the Road | Dr Miriam Elin Jones chairs a panel that will discuss the story of travel literature and the Welsh language, with Dr Grug Muse, Jon Gower and Dr Kathryn Jones | Wednesday, 5 August at 12pm
Hywel Teifi Memorial Lecture - Poetry in an Era of Falsehoods: Do we still need poets in the age of AI | Delivered by Professor Emerita Menna Elfyn, award-winning poet, playwright, columnist and editor | Thursday, 6 August at 12pm
Towards the West | Beti George will host a conversation with Cleif Harpwood, Meinir Mathias and Euros Lewis discussing creative responses to social, cultural and linguistic changes in west Wales | Friday, 7 August at 10:30am
Further events and celebrations linked to the University will be held in other locations on the Eisteddfod maes. Among them Dr Geraldine Lublin will take part in a panel to discuss History, Identity and the Curriculum for Wales organised by Adnodd, and held in Cymdeithasau on Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm. On Monday morning some University and Academi Hywel Teifi staff members will be received at the Gorsedd.
On Tuesday afternoon at 12:30pm Professor Gwenno Ffrancon will give a lecture in Pabell y Cymdeithasau 2, John Roberts Williams - Remembering the Voice of a Nation, and on Wednesday afternoon, alumna Emily Evans, now a tutor in the Welsh Department, will be awarded the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Gwobr Merêd at 4pm. In the Science and Technology Village, Professor Siwan Davies will deliver a lecture organised by the The Learned Society of Wales, under the title 'Looking back and to the future at the climate crisis', at 11:30 on Thursday morning.
Gwenno Ffrancon, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for the Welsh Language, Heritage and Culture and Director of Hywel Teifi Academy, said:
"Swansea University is proud to sponsor the literary pavilion, Y Babell Lên, at the 2026 National Eisteddfod and extend a warm welcome to the devoted audience of the pavilion. As in previous years, a series of interesting and topical events have been organised by Academi Hywel Teifi as part of the programme in Y Babell Lên. Amongst them, we are very much looking forward to hearing Menna Elfyn deliver the Hywel Teifi Memorial Lecture this year and discuss creativity in the age of artificial intelligence and falsehoods, and to celebrate Professor Siwan Davies being awarded the Eisteddfod Science Medal for his immense contribution to science research and education in Welsh. We look forward once again to be in the midst of the creative, artistic and cultural buzz on the maes of our national festival as it marks its 850th anniversary."