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.

Gweledigaethau: Cyfrol Deyrnged Yr Athro Gwyn Thomas (translated- Visions Professor Gwyn Thomas Commemorative Volume) celebrates an individual who has been described as one of the most important literary figures of the second half of the Twentieth century and beginning of the twenty-first century in Wales.

The Volume includes 14 new essays by some of Wales' leading academics and poets. The essays lead the reader from through Wales' literary history, there are essays which investigate the various facets of Professor Gwyn Thomas's contribution, and how they interrelate; his poetry and his work for the theatre and the media, his scholarship, his translations and literary criticism. The volume throws new light on some of the most influential periods and figures in Welsh literature over the centuries- and on Gwyn Thomas' important place in the succession.

The volume is edited by Dr Jason Walford Davies, of Bangor University's School of Welsh and is published by Cyhoeddiadau Barddas. Professor Gwyn Thomas is a former Head of Bangor University's School of Welsh and former Chair of Welsh at the University.

The ' Dictionary of Place-Names of Wales' by Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan (Gwasg Gomer) is the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of the place-names of Wales. It represents the culmination of over forty years of research into place names in Wales at Bangor University, from the days of the late Professor Melville Richards and the late Professor Bedwyr Lewis Jones to the present. The volume is the result of an ambitious project funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the School of Welsh at Bangor University. The work was completed at Bangor University's Place Name Research Centre. The co-author Richard Morgan is also an honorary Lecturer at Bangor University.

A place name belongs to a unique part of the earth surface, and by understanding the meaning of the name, we have information on the nature of the place, a glimpse of the history of the people who lived there, and an insight into the way the Welsh thought about themselves and their country over the centuries. With the assistance of over 300,000 research notes made by Professor Melville Richards, the authors, Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan, meticulously researched and gathered everything together. They spent seven years on the project in Bangor University.

According to Hywel Wyn Owen: "The glory of this volume is that it can clearly show the original derivations of the names, by using the best evidence there is.

"There was a need for such a book, because there's a wealth of information and a marvellous interest in Wales and beyond in place names and their significance."

The evening also celebrated the launch of an Index to all published ballads dating from Eighteenth century Wales. Rather than being bound between two hard covers, the index resides as an online resource accessible to all via the web. The site is at www.e-gymraeg.org/cronfabaledi

Professor Peredur Lynch explains: "The Index will be a useful resource for anyone interested in the literature of the eighteenth century or the history of printing or social history of the period, as well as those interested in researching the tunes that accompanied the sung ballads."

The Index is the result of cooperation between Professor Peredur Lynch at the School of Welsh, Bangor University and Dr E Wynn James of Cardiff University's School of Welsh. The project fieldwork was completed by Peredur Davies, now a post graduate student at the School of Linguistics & English Language. Bangor University's Canolfanbedwyr was responsible for the database and the project was financed by the University of Wales Board of Celtic Studies.

Dr Jason Walford Davies of the School of Welsh, Bangor University presents a copy of the volume in his honour, to Professor Gwyn Thomas.

l-r: Professor Peredur Lynch presents the Dictionary of the Place Names of Wales to the authors: Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan, with Ceri Wyn Jones of publishers, Gwasg Gomer.

Professor Peredur Lynch and project researcher, Peredur Davies, display the interactivity of the database of Eighteenth Century ballads

Dr Jason Walford Davies yn cyflwyno'r gyfrol deyrnged i'r Athro Gwyn Thomas

Dr Jason Walford Davies and Professor Gwyn Thomas.

Yr Athro Peredur Lynch yn cyflwyno'r gyfrol i'r awduron, YR Athro Hywel Wyn Owen a Richard Morgan, yng nghwmni’r Prifardd Ceri Wyn Jones, Golygydd Saesneg: Gwasg Gomer

Professor Peredur Lynch with authors Professor Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan, and poet Ceri Wyn Jones, English Editor: Gwasg Gomer.

Yr Athro Peredur Lynch ac ymchwilydd y project Cronfa Baledi, Peredur Davies yn dangos mynegai ar-lein

Professor Peredur Lynch and Cronfa Baledi researcher, Peredur Davies.

Y prifardd Llion Elis Jones

Poet Llion Elis Jones

Dr Jason Walford Davies