Creative Writing at Bangor
There is a long tradition of creative writing at the School of Welsh, Bangor University. John Morris-Jones, the first Professor of Welsh here, was both a distinguished poet and scholar. Kate Roberts was a student and R. Williams Parry a lecturer in Welsh at Bangor, and during the 1970s, the author and dramatist John Gwilym Jones forged a strong link between the School and the contemporary Welsh-language theatre.
The late Gwyn Thomas, former National Poet of Wales, was Head of School prior to his retirement, and over the years other distinguished writers, such as Islwyn Ffowc Elis, John Rowlands, Nesta Wyn Jones, Alan Llwyd, Aled Jones Williams and Angharad Tomos, were students of Welsh at Bangor. As can be seen below, we are equally proud to acknowledge the literary achievements of a younger generation of Welsh writers, all of whom are former students at the School.
The same creativity may be seen amongst current members of staff. Gerwyn Wiliams, Jason Walford Davies, Jerry Hunter, Peredur Lynch, Manon Wyn Williams and Angharad Price are all established Welsh writers who, between them, have won two prose medals and two crowns at the National Eisteddfod, along with three Wales Book of the Year awards!
Many of our students have made their mark by winning creative writing prizes at the Urdd Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod and other literary competitions across Wales.
Creative Writing courses and students' experiences
Creative Writing can be studied at every level at the School of Welsh, including modules which form part of our BA degree (Prose Workshop; Poetry Workshop; Scriptwriting; Cynghanedd writing), the MA in Welsh and Creative Writing, along with a PhD degree in Creative Writing.
Over the years, many of our students have benefitted from the various Creative Writing modules and degree courses held at the School, and you can read more about their experiences here.
A weekly Creative Writing workshop is held for postgraduates where we work on creative exercises in an informal and supportive environment. In recent years, some of our students have gone on to publish successful novels, volumes of poetry and plays, most recently John Gruffydd Jones, Ceris James, Sian Northey, Gwennan Evans, Meg Elis, Guto Dafydd, Eiddwen Jones, Mari Lisa, Llyr Titus and Elis Dafydd.
A selection of books published by staff and students in recent years
You can see students and members of staff reading their work by clicking on the following links: Mae cofio rwan mor anodd (Cefin Roberts), Pantywennol (Ruth Richards), Drych (Meg Elis), Arddegu (Gerwyn Wiliams), I Ceri Wyn, (Gruffydd Antur), I Ffrind (Elis Dafydd).
Visits by Welsh and international writers
A further aspect of the vitality of Creative Writing at the School of Welsh are the writers who come to discuss their work with us. In recent years we have invited readings by Welsh writers and poets such as Angharad Tomos, Emyr Lewis, Wiliam Owen Roberts, Gwyneth Lewis, Aled Jones Williams, Caryl Lewis, Lloyd Jones and Ifor ap Glyn.
Through our links with Translators House Wales and the Wales Literature Exchange, we have also invited poets and writers from countries further afield, such as Ngugi wa Thiong'o from Kenya, Marusa Krese from Slovenia, Sabry Hafez from Egypt and Fatos Kongoli from Albania. This lends a valuable perspective to our own creative enterprises in Welsh.
If you’d like further information about our Creative Writing courses at the School of Welsh, Bangor University, please email us at cymraeg@bangor.ac.uk or phone on 01248 382 083.