Latest School News

January 2012: Contemporary Authors at the School of Welsh

On Wednesday, January 25, 2012 two contemporary authors - one from Wales, the other from Slovenia, came to discuss their work with students at the School of Welsh. More ...

June 2011: Great opportunities for students who wish to do research work

Do you wish to study at postgraduate level? The School of Welsh, Bangor University, is offering a number of generous scholarships for those who wish to start their studies on 1 October 2011. More info...

May 2011: Welsh Professor visits Ohio to celebrate the fourth-hundred anniversary of the publication of the English King James Bible

Professor Peredur Lynch, of the School of Welsh, has been invited to participate in a prestigious series of lectures at Ohio State University in celebration of the fourth-hundred anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible in 1611. Read more...

April 2011: Book of the Year 2011

NOVELS written by two lecturers in the School of Welsh have been selected for the long list of the Book of the Year 2011 competition. Read more...

March 2011: Two Eminent Welsh novelists Visit the School of Welsh

Two of Wales’ most eminent novelists visited the School of Welsh in March to discuss their work. Read more ...

March 2011: The Egyptian novel at the School of Welsh

With Egypt and neighbouring countries currently in the news, a lecture hosted by the School of Welsh at Bangor University will suggest that the path towards revolution can be traced in the Egyptian novel of the last decades. Read more ...

January 2011: Modernism and Minorities

On Thursday, January 20 scholars from across Wales came together to discuss aspects of ‘Modernism’ and their relation to minority cultures. Read more ...

January 2011: Sunday Times CD of the Week accolade for student’s band

One third year music and Welsh student at Bangor University has had a great beginning to his musical new year- as his band Y Niwl’s album of the same name receives the accolade of The Sunday Times’ Culture Section Rock & Pop CD of the Week (2.1.11). Read on...

November 2010: Congratualtions to Aelwyd John Morris-Jones!

Among the 500 competitors who managed to reach the grand stage of Pritchard-Jones Hall during Saturday's annual celebration of cerdd dant and traditional music were members of Aelwyd John Morris-Jones. Read more ...

November 2010: New R.S.Thomas Manuscripts for University Collection

The tenth anniversary of the R.S. Thomas Study Centre at Bangor University has been marked by two major acquisitions. The Centre has acquired a large collection of manuscripts and typescripts, including much unpublished material, from the estate of the late Peter Jollife, a prominent collector of modern literary books and manuscripts.

Read the full article...

October 2010: School of Welsh Creative Writing Seminar

On Thursday, 7 October, at 6.00 o'clock, in the Welsh Seminar Room, Dr Jerry Hunter will be discussing his novel GWENDDYDD, with which he won the Prose Medal in the 2010 National Eisteddfod of Wales.

This event will be held through the medium of Welsh.

September 2010: Satisfied Students

For the second year in succession the School of Welsh at Bangor has achieved an remarkable result in the National Student Survey (http://unistats.direct.gov.uk). All students who took part in the survey declared that they were satisfied with the general quality of their Welsh degree course. Bangor's School of Welsh was the only academic unit throughout Britain and Northern Ireland that achieved a 100% level of satisfaction in the field of Welsh and Celtic Studies.

According to Professor Peredur Lynch, Head of Welsh at Bangor, "this result reflects the immense dedication of our staff to the well-being of their students. Lecturing is a varied occupation, but there is always one thing which remains a priority here in the School of Welsh - our students."

September 2010: Award winning Amy arrives at university in style!

A first year Welsh and French student at Bangor University who was named her county’s ‘Student of the Year’ has arrived in style at her Halls of Residence in her competition prize - a brand-new Fiat Panda!

Amy Mason, 18 from Merthyr Tydfil who was head girl at her former school, Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, beat 17 other students from across Rhondda Cynon Taf to the prize. More...

August 2010: Set for Success - Bangor student named UK’s top translator

A Bangor student has been picked from hundreds of applicants across the country to be named as the UK’s most accomplished student translator. Dafydd Frayling, who is currently studying for a Post Graduate Certificate in Translation at Aberystwyth and Bangor universities, beat the competition to be crowned the overall winner in a national student translation contest. Read on..

August 2010: Jerry Hunter wins 2010 Eisteddfod Prose Medal

Dr Jerry Hunter, a reader in the School of Welsh, is the winner of the Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys National Eisteddfod Prose Medal, one of the three main literary prizes awarded during the National Eisteddfod week. More...

July 2010: Winning Bangor University’s Welsh Student Award

Lois Prysor Jones from Arenig, near Bala is this year’s winner of the Dr John Robert Jones Welsh Student award at Bangor University this year. This is one of five main University prizes awarded each year. This Prize is for the best graduating student from Wales across all the University’s disciplines. Lois received a cheque for £1,000 at her recent graduation ceremony. More...

June 2010: Mrs Gwyneth Williams Retires

On Wednesday the 9th of June, friends and co-workers came together to honour Mrs Gwyneth Williams, The School of Welsh Administrator who retired after fourty seven years of serving the University.

June 2010: A Crown and a Medal for Bangor Welsh Students – Again!

Warm congratulations to Catrin Haf Jones on winning the Crown in the Urdd National Eisteddfod and to Manon Wyn Williams on winning the Drama Medal! More...

May 2010:Bust of the late Professor Bedwyr Lewis Jones unveiled

May 2010: Student's first novel reaches Book of the Year long list

Very warm congratulations are extended to Sian Owen, a PhD student at the School of Welsh, whose first novel has reached the Welsh Book of the Year long list. Read more...

May 2010: Lecturer in Welsh publishes two novels

March was a busy month for Dr Angharad Price who is Senior Lecturer at the School of Welsh. In early March she published her third novel Caersaint, which is the fruit of nearly four years’ writing. Read on...

May 2010: Winner of the Prose Medal 2009 visits the School of Welsh

As part of the School of Welsh’s Research Seminar series, the author and winner of the Prose Medal at the 2009 National Eisteddfod, Sian Melangell Dafydd, came to talk about her winning novel Y Trydydd Peth (‘The Third Thing’). Read on...

May 2010: The School of Welsh and Translators’ House Wales

The School of Welsh recently collaborated with Translators’ House Wales, along with Wales Literature Exchange, in arranging a visit by the German author, Mareike Kruegel. Read on...

May 2010: Actors and authors visit the School of Welsh

As part of the undergraduate module, ‘The Modern Welsh Theatre’ (for years 2 and 3) several actors, authors and specialists in the field of contemporary Welsh drama visited the School of Welsh during the past semester. Read more...

April 2010 : Wales Book of the Year 2010 and the School of Welsh

Once again this year, the School of Welsh collaborated with Academi to organize the launch of the Wales Book of the Year 2010 long list. And in an exciting event held in the Management Centre, the names of the twenty titles - ten in Welsh and ten in English - that will be vying for the grand prize of £10,000 in both language categories was announced.

Two current research students from the School of Welsh, Manon Wyn Williams and Rhodri Llŷr Evans, were invited to read extracts from the longlisted titles.

For more information, visit the BBC Wales website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesarts/2010/04/wales_book_of_the_year_2010_longlist.html

April 2010: A new home for JMJ

Welsh students at Bangor are looking forward to a change of scene as the Welsh Halls of Residence, Neuadd John Morris Jones moves to its new home on the Ffriddoedd site this September. Read on...

March 2010: Xhosa Praise Poetry*

School of Welsh Public Lecture by Professor Jeff Opland, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Wednesday, 14 April at 5pm, Lecture Room 3, Main Arts Building. *The lecture will be given in English.

March 2010: Professor Gerwyn Wiliams appointed Member of the Arts Council of Wales

Alun Ffred Jones, the Heritage Minister, has announced the appointment of Professor Gerwyn Williams of Bangor University’s School of Welsh to the Arts Council of Wales. He is one of six new appointments whose terms will begin on 1 April 2010 and will last for three years. More...

November 2009: Minister for Heritage visits the School of Welsh

The School of Welsh was visited recently by one of its most prominent former students, Alun Ffred Jones, A.M. for Arfon and Minister for Heritage in the Welsh Assembly Government. Read on...

November 2009: Remembering the Great Rout

On Saturday, 7 November, the School of Welsh, with the support of the Welsh Academy, will be hosting a one-day conference which will focus on the reactions in Welsh literature and popular culture to the overwhelming 'No' vote in the 1979 referendum on devolution. This will be a Welsh-medium event. Further details and registration...

September 2009: From Bangor to the Library of Congress – to study Welsh

Gwilym Morus, a PhD student in the School of Welsh, has been awarded a prestigious Library of Congress Scholarship which will enable him to spend an extended period of study in one of the world’s most dynamic national libraries. Read on....

July 2009: Student proves an ‘inspiration to others'

A mature Welsh with Creative Writing student has graduated from Bangor University this summer with four prizes, in addition to a first class honours degree. Read on...

July 2009: Mother of four graduates after six years

After six long years of hard work, farmer’s wife Eirian Alwen Jones from Llannefydd in Denbigh is celebrating as she graduates with a First Class Honours Degree at Bangor University. Read on...

May 2009: Crowning Lleucu.

Heartfelt congratulations to Lleucu Fflur Hughes for winning the National Urdd Eisteddfod Crown! Read on...

March 2009: Welsh Medium Postgraduate Scholarship: Drama and Scripting

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March 2009: ‘My Great Harvard Adventure!’ by Rhiannon Heledd Williams

As part of her PhD, Rhiannon Heledd Williams is currently researching America's periodic press under the supervision of Dr Jerry Hunter from the School of Welsh at Bangor. She is currently spending a semester at Harvard University as part of her studies. Read on...

March 2009: Third time lucky for winning composers

the winners Congratulations to former School of Welsh students, Elfed Morgan Morris and Lowri Watcyn Roberts on winning S4C’s Cân i Gymru (Song for Wales) songwriting competition St David’s Day with thier song Gofidiau, (Sorrows).
Elfed graduated in Welsh and Music in 2004, and is now a Welsh teacher at Ysgol John Bright, Llandudno. Lowri gained a degree in 1991 followed by an MA in Welsh and teaches Welsh at Ysgol Brynrefail.

The song-writing duo have already twice won S4C’s carol composing competition. This was also the third time that Elfed had performed in the Cân i Gymru final. The pair were delighted to have won the top prize of £10,000, having pleased the studio panel and won the viewers' votes.

"It's good to see two such talented graduates having sucess with their songwriting. The combination of words andmusic has certainly won over the panel judges and viewers at home this time," commentedProfessor Gerwyn Wiliams of the School of Welsh.

Elfed Morgan Morris and Gofidiau will now represent Wales at this year’s Pan Celtic Festival to be held in the town of Donegal in Ireland in April.
“The other songs in the final were all of a high standard and we knew it would be a close contest,” said Elfed, whose performance of Gofidiau received a standing ovation from the studio audience.

“Lowri and I have been living and breathing Cân i Gymru for the past three months as we’ve been preparing for the big night. We’ve received huge support from pupils at the schools where we teach – Ysgol John Bright, Llandudno, where I teach, and Ysgol Brynrefail in Llanrug, where Lowri teaches. We also had wonderful support from the studio audience on the night.”

There were more song entries for the competition this year than ever before, and Lowri Watcyn Roberts feels that Cân i Gymru is huge incentive for Welsh songwriters. “Winning is a wonderful bonus, of course, but I think that what’s important is that this year the competition has inspired composers to write 120 new Welsh songs.”

February 2009: Successful MA students at the School of Welsh

Congratulations to all our successful MA students who are Rhodri Llŷr Evans, Menna Machreth Jones, Lleucu Fflur Hughes and Medi Vaughan Wilkinson.

Research Seminars

The School of Welsh has announced new Research Seminars for Semester 2. Click here for more information

Scholarship Winners!

In a ceremony held at the Pritchard Jones Hall, students from the School of Welsh received Bangor University's Entrance Scholarships. Between them the students won £16000 worth of scholarships. Congratulations to you all! More...

November 2008: A Taste of Opera

Two students from Bangor University got the chance to learn more about writing operas lately. Read on...

Short Listed

Former student Helen Davies has been short listed for the 'Ffresh' annual film festival 2009. Helen graduated with a first class honours degree in June 2009 and now works for ITV as a journalist. Her documentary film, 'Factory Betrayal' has been selected for the festival in the documentary category and the festival will be held in February 2009. 'Ffresh' is the annual film festival for students in Wales. Read the full story...

August 2008: Ifan Morgan Jones wins Eisteddfod literary award!

For the third time in four years, a postgraduate student of Bangor University’s School of Welsh has won the Daniel Owen Award at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Ifan Morgan Jones, who is deputy editor of the weekly magazine, Golwg, scooped the Eisteddfod prize for his first novel, Igam Ogam. Read on...

July 2008: Sir Ifor Williams Exhibition

An exhibition following the life and work of a Tregarth man who became the Professor of Welsh at Bangor University is open to the public at Bangor University's Shankland Reading Room in the University's Main Arts Library until the end of August. More...

June 2008:Summer 2008 Graduates and Award Winners

School of Welsh Students have achieved an excellent set of results this year. Click here to read on...

June 2008: Plaque in Memory of R. S. Thomas

At the initiative of the Rhys Davies Trust, and with additional funding from the Welsh Academy and Bangor University, a plaque to commemorate R. S. Thomas (1913–2000) has been erected near the entrance to the Main Arts Library. Read on...

May 2008:Harvard Professor visits Bangor’s School of Welsh

Professor Patrick Ford from Harvard University’s Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures recently visited Bangor University’s School of Welsh in order to present to the University a unique copy of Gwaith Dafydd ap Gwilym. Read on...

April 2008: Dramatists visit the School of Welsh

Leading Welsh dramatist, Aled Jones Williams, was recently invited to lead a seminar organised Bangor University’s School of Welsh. Read more...

March 2008: Remembering Philip Jones Griffiths

Philip Jones Griffith’s death represents a loss to Wales and the world. Read about his connections with Bangor...

March 2008: Literary Award for Creative Writing PhD Student

Congratulations to Sian Owen on her prize-winning poem in the 2008 Féile Filíochta 2008 poetry competition.

In April she will be attending the award ceremony in Ireland and receive a prize worth €1,000 for her Welsh poem. Féile Filíochta annually rewards poems in ten languages and this year over 4,000 entries were submitted. Read on...

February 2008: Bangor-Harvard Relationship

As part of the the institutional arrangement between the School of Welsh and Harvard University's Department of Celtic Studies, Sam Jones is spending the current semesteter at Bangor. Read what Sam has to say about his stay in Bangor...

February 2008: Bangor and the Big Big Book Of Wales

After nearly a decade of intensive research, writing and editing, The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales, along with its Welsh-language counterpart Gwyddoniadur Cymru yr Academi Gymreig, are published today (31 January). Edited by Menna Baines, John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, and Professor Peredur Lynch of the School of Welsh, these volumes between them contain over 1.6 million words and are the fruits of a unique academic partnership between the Welsh Academy, the University of Wales Press, the Centre for Research into the English Literature and Language of Wales (Swansea University) and the School of Welsh at Bangor. Read on...

January 2008: MA Students

2008 has already brought excellent news for students following MA schemes within the School of Welsh at Bangor University. Read on...

December 2007: A Database of Ballads, a Dictionary of Place names and a Volume in Honour of our National Poet.

Bangor University has launched three projects: a comprehensive index to all the printed ballads of the 18 century, the first authoritative dictionary of the place names of the whole of Wales and a commemorative volume to our national Bard, Professor Gwyn Thomas. More deatils...

December 2007: Invitation

An invitation to the launch meeting of the School of Welsh's latest publications. More details...

November 2007: School of Welsh Entrance Scholarship Winners

In a recent meeting in Powis Hall, entrance scholarships worth £100,000 were presented to Bangor University First Year students. And students from the School of Welsh were among the main recipients. More...

November 2007: Fatos Kongoli visits the School of Welsh

On Tuesday, October 30 a reading was held at the School of Welsh with the eminent Albanian novelist, Fatos Kongoli, which was co-organised with Sioned Puw Rowlands from the Welsh Literature Abroad agency and PEN. Kongoli’s famous novel, I Humburi (The Loser), has just been translated into English by Robert Elsie and Janice Mathie-Heck who were also present to discuss the challenges of translating from Albanian. More...

October 2007: Welcome to the Class of 2007 Research Students!

Bangor University’s School of Welsh welcomes the class of 2007 postgraduate and research students, the largest new cohort of students in recent years. Read on...

October 2007: Congratulations to Dr Jerry Hunter!

Congratulations are extended to Dr Jerry Hunter on being promoted to a Readership and also on the publication of his latest book.His book was launched on Wednesday, 10 October, in a meeting organised at Bangor University.More...

October 2007: Dr Angharad Price discusses Louvain at Galway

Between 12-13 October, 2007, Dr Angharad Price was a guest speaker at a conference organised by the Department of Irish at NUI Galway which was held to mark the 400th anniversary of the foundation by the Irish Franciscans of St Anthony’s College in Louvain (Belgium). Read on...

October 2007: Albanian Writer to Visit Bangor

As part of his British tour, the eminent Albanian novelist, Fatos Kongoli, is coming to Bangor University to discuss and read from his novel 'I Humburi' ('The Loser'), newly translated into English by Robert Elsie and Janice Mathie-Heck. More...

September 2007: Dr Jerry Hunter interviews Philip Jones Griffiths

This coming Saturday provides a rare opportunity to hear the photojournalist Philip Jones Griffiths discussing his work in an interview with Dr Jerry Hunter from the School of Welsh. More...

September 2007: Congratulations Manon!

Manon Wyn Williams from the School of Welsh wins the Bryn Terfel Scholarship. More...

September 2007:The School of Welsh Hosts a Record-breaking Course!

Over 350 pupils and students recently attended a one-day lecture course organised by the School of Welsh – the largest number yet for such an event! Read on...

August 2007: The School of Welsh at the Flintshire National Eisteddfod

The School of Welsh had a successful week during the Flintshire National Eisteddfod earlier in August. More...

July 2007:The Novelist’s World – School of Welsh and NIECI host a conference

On Saturday, 24 November, a number of Wales’s leading novelists will meet at Bangor University to discuss aspects of the contemporary Welsh novel.

Click here for more information...

July 2007: Bangor Honorary Fellows

Two of the brightest stars of the arts world, the actor Rhys Ifans and the singer Siân James, were recently made Honorary Fellows during Bangor University degree ceremonies. And both were formally presented during the proceedings by members of the School of Welsh, Dr Jerry Hunter and Professor Gerwyn Wiliams.