Poetry Eisteddfod

Leading up to this prestigious event, Haverfordwest Library is excited to announce the launch of a poetry eisteddfod competition. The primary objective of this competition is to celebrate the Welsh language, Welsh culture, Welsh heritage and Welsh literature.

In light of this, the theme of the eisteddfod will be centred on the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. All entries are encouraged to draw inspiration from his literary works, or alternatively, creative motivation can be found in the following quote: “from where you are, you can hear their dreams”.

The eisteddfod is open to adults and to young people aged 11 and over. There are separate age divisions for those aged 11-14; ages 15-17 and adults aged 18 and over.

There are three distinct categories:

1. Write a poem (open to all age categories).
2. Illustrate an unpublished poem of their own (open to all age categories).
3. Spoken word poem, which is only open to participants over the age of 18. This can be presented as an audio or video file and accompanied by a transcript.

Entries can be composed in English, Welsh or in a bilingual format and must not exceed one A4 page in length.

The entries will be judged by local representatives from Pembrokeshire.

Furthermore, the competition winners will not only receive a prize, but will also be offered seats in the audience at the Poet Laureate Library Tour event on Friday 8^th March 2024.

This event will feature readings by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage and his guest for the evening, Owen Sheers.

Attendees will also have the chance to partake in a private viewing that evening of the new Dylan Thomas exhibition in the Gallery. This exhibition will be meticulously curated by the National Library of Wales, showcasing items from their remarkable collections.

Poetry eisteddfod entries can be submitted from Monday 4 December 2023. The deadline for all entries is set for Thursday 1 February 2024, and all submissions should be sent to Haverfordwest Library.

For full guidelines, please visit your local library or access them online on the Council's website