Today on the final day of Eisteddfod T 2021 (Friday, 4 June), it was revealed that the winner of the Poetry Prize is Kayley Sydenham from Newport.
Having completed her A Levels at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, Kayley is looking forward to study Welsh and Journalism at University in September. Composing and drawing are her main interests, and Kayley made the most of the long lockdown periods to work on mastering the art of the cynghanedd, as well as starting her own Welsh lino printing venture.
Kayley was revealed as the Eisteddfod T Poetry Prize Winner at the festival’s final ceremony of the week, broadcast live from the Urdd’s Residential Centre in Llangrannog with judge Mererid Hopwood and the three finalists.
“A judge’s opinion is just the opinion of one person,” said Mererid Hopwood during the ceremony. “The most important thing is to congratulate everyone. Regardless of who will take first place today, all three who are here at Eisteddfod T’s experimental pavilion are winners.”
The competitors were required to compose a strict metre or free verse poem of no more than 70 lines and although 40 entries were received, Kayley’s poem offered the “most complete composition in this year’s competition”.
Mererid Hopwood added, “As a poem it convinces the reader of the poet’s sincere vision. She doesn’t fall into the trap of being too abstruse but rather, skilfully and cleverly uses imagery to convey her message.”
Kayley receives a specially created trophy by sculptor Ann Catrin Evans. In second place was Ciarán Eynon from Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy (who was also third in the Eisteddfod T Literary Prize competition yesterday) and third was Tegwen Bruce-Deans from Llandrindod Wells. This competition was sponsored by Aberystwyth University.
Eisteddfod T has been a huge success once again with radio, television, and online audiences throughout the week. Today is the final day of the festival after a busy week of broadcasting from the temporary studio at the Urdd’s Residential Centre in Llangrannog. Results for all competitions can be found on the s4c.cymru/urdd website and on the Urdd’s social media with the hashtag #EisteddfodT.
