This competition is held biennially at the London Welsh Centre (“Y Canolfan”) at Gray’s Inn Road in central London. It is open to promising singers who must be aged under thirty and with strong Welsh connections, either from Wales, of Welsh descent or studying in Wales. They compete for cash prizes as well as the prestige of winning.
A small band of members made their way there by car to be joined by others already up in town. We met up in the large lounge bar upstairs for drinks and platters of sandwiches before making our way into the small concert hall for the main event.
Six outstanding young singers had made it through to the evening’s final round. They included Rhiannon Llewellyn, who many members will remember for entertaining us so well at the Society’s St David’s Day Dinner back in 2014.The three previous competitions were all won by young men but unusually on this occasion the finalists were two mezzo-sopranos and four sopranos. But what beautiful voices we enjoyed. Each sang three pieces including one song in Welsh. Every member of the audience had been given a voting slip to choose our own favourite based on the singing of the Welsh song, which singer would win the Audience Prize.
As the judges retired to make their decisions, we were entertained by the winner in the “best newcomer” category. This was a young baritone, Lukasz Karauda. A native of Poland, he is a recent graduate from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
We all agreed how difficult it was to judge the overall winner, yet all of us voted for Carly Owen to receive our “Audience Prize”. This Soprano from Bangor duly won not only the Audience Prize but the overall First Prize too. Our very own Rhiannon Llewellyn, who went to school in Chalfont St Peter, won the second prize; with third place going to Celine Forrest, who featured in the final of the BBC Cardiff Young Singer of the World competition on TV in June this year.
Afterwards we were invited to retire to the bar once more to enjoy a drink with bara-brith and welsh-cakes. This gave us the opportunity to chat to the contestants. Rhiannon told her fellow contestants how much she had enjoyed singing for our Welsh Society last year. She is now married and an “Army wife” living in Germany. Celine Forrest had been scheduled to sing at our 2016 St David’s Day Dinner but apologised that she couldn’t now make it due to sponsor commitments. However she assured us charmingly that her replacement is just as good! If so we are in for another treat on March 1st.
Gwyndaf John
Someone wanted to know where to put up the Welsh bunting, whereas of course bunting was an English Royal Naval term and therefore an antithesis when used with Welsh.
Conversation flowed as we caught up with hwn ar llall. Each table developed its own personality: Margaret and John Edwards’ table was consumed in lively, humorous and energetic conversation with science and technology as a probable theme. Our table talked holidays, golf, theatre and opera and, the upcoming Brecon trip in September.
Jonathan Pegler welcomed everyone to the meeting, including 10 new members. The Press coverage has been excellent this year, and the society is thriving with healthy finances. Jonathan continued and reviewed the various events throughout the year.
Kay Day welcomed everyone in both English and Welsh and proposed Jonathan Pegler as vice Chairman.
Chicken Curry & Rice or Beef Stew, followed by a wide choice of desserts including profiteroles, rhubarb fool, raspberry brule, ginger meringue, white chocolate cake and cheese and biscuits.
onto the stage (not very reluctantly) to take part in an improvised sketch and demonstrate his ability to provide sound effects to the action provided by the comics.
Well, we’ve had a very successful six months. We’ve welcomed yet more new members: we’ve held a diverse range of events, all of which have been well attended and enjoyed.
The Coach arrived on time at the picking-up points and then this joyous crowd of Welsh Supporters, seeking fun and knowledge, enjoyed a trip down the M4 in magnificent sunshine, over the Bridge, paid the entrance fee (no reduction for indigenous natives) and arrived at Porthcawl, much tortured earlier in the year by gigantic waves breaking over the sea wall. There, close to the front, near Rest Bay for the agile, was the Pegler Mansions! How envy poured out from everyone!!
Having received sufficient sustenance, the M4 was re-joined and shortly we arrived at the well-appointed Premier Inn on the Water-front where we met our charismatic and vocally gifted Guide, Annie From Wales.com Haden who introduced herself so well, that we were sure there might be an embarrassing family connection somewhere!!
operated in the 18th Century (1700+!!) and now picturesquely showing its Norwegian Church, an Ice House with landmark Chimney and a rather large Shed! As we cantered along the waterfront to the National Waterfront Museum we passed the Dylan Thomas Museum which was closed!! Undaunted because we knew that Dylan appeared elsewhere on our programme, we lunched in the Waterfront Museum, enjoy-ed its very local exhibits of 
Welsh Life, and then off to Brangwyn Hall, part of the Guild Hall to be greeted by The Rt Worshipful Lord Mayor of Swansea, Alderman Ceirwen Thomas. As she accompanied us around the building she explained how in the WW2 extensive bombing of the City, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to 
leave the Guild Hall and its tall tower 
unscathed as he proposed to locate his Welsh head-quarters there!! (Hitler was already taking Welsh lessons in anticipation!). The Mayor showed enormous warmth and charisma towards us and we were treated to a sumptuous tea when all was done.
savoured the place where he met up with his friends. Here he spent 23 years of his short life writing 2/3rds of his works: the house had been beautifully restored by volunteers that included Annie and her ex-husband.
Views from the train as we journeyed along the Towy estuary in such beautiful weather were accompanied by Annie’s witty remarks, her commentary and anecdotes.
The rest went on to the National Botanic garden at Llanarthne to view the excellent plant culture, magic Botanic Dome (largest single span glass Conservatory in the World!), the Tropical House, and a 
plethora of interesting Buildings
(even a lovely “cwtch” for us to cuddle together!!).
Surmounting all was Middleton Hall with magnificent scenery and the ubiquitous Folly (Paxton’s Tower – referring to Lord Nelson and his flirtings – such days of yore!!) built in the distant hills as a constant phallic insult to an annoying neighbour.
Next stop: Laugharne with Dylan’s and Caitlin’s Boat House overlooking the sea and the Towy estuary with the famous Pendine Sands in the distance and a pair of welsh wool long-johns drying on a tree!!.
sat, coat 
on his chair, with his thoughts of the World whilst watching the waves in the distance. For some of us, there was time for a drink sitting in Dylan’s favourite window seat in Brown’s Inn, and a visit to the Castle.
copper smelting but now overgrown with beautiful greenery. As we ate and drank on board the boat munching an excellent buffet organised by our very own ladies, it was intriguing to see in the middle of the river a cascade of bubbles coming from mermaids long lost below us (!!).
taken over picturesque moors and hills to Rhosili on the Gower: a bay now ranked best in the UK, in the top 3 in Europe and in the top 10 in the World! My, what breath-taking views! Those who ventured so far as the Coast Guard Station overlooking Worms Head saw a Grand Piano being tuned in the open in preparation for an open-
air Concert!!!
Having savoured the splendours of the scenery, the bay and the cliff top, we sojourned to The King Arthur Hotel at Reynoldston where we were well received and ate with the evening sun pouring down outside: a fitting end to another magnificent day but not before Annie was thanked 
profusely for her excellent guiding, extensive local knowledge and banter punctuated on occasions by a few “bloody boyos” and other Welsh unmentionables!
Next day, home! Calling at Neath Abbey and the magnificently restored Cistercian Abbey at Margam, surrounded by a picturesque Country Park surmounted by the 19th century Margam Castle with its spectacular Stone Staircases, reminiscent of Hogwarts. The Castle was built by the Talbot family using fortunes gained from the production of steel at the still profitable Port Talbot works in the Bay. Gone were the skeletons of trees seen 40 years’ ago (the trees poisoned by acid rain) and in their place a magnificent forest of colour.
provided an enthusiastic talk on the area, an account of the devastation produced by a Welsh Tsunami, the discovery of a propeller from a long-ago stranded ship, the pub’s local judicial history and sentencing of felons to be hung close by!!
This, accompanied by a super buffet and general Welsh camaraderie engaging all of us, was a more than fitting end to yet another fantastic trip with thanks to Jonathan for its organisation and to Lyndon for his safe driving!! And so to our next visit to the Fatherland to satisfy another feast of Welsh hiraeth!
The results were as follows:
Marilyn had a brilliant round, scoring top marks, 44 stableford points. Jasper Garnham had the highest score for the men of 34. Colin and Pam Britton won nearest the pin and the longest drives were won by Margaret and Gwyn Owen. Ann Lawrence, who was unable to play due to injury this year, kindly presented the prizes.