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Cân i Gymru

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Cân i Gymru
Also known asCân Disc a Dawn (1969–1972)
GenreSong competition
Based onDisc a Dawn [cy]
Presented byElin Fflur (2011–present)
Trystan Ellis-Morris (2015–present)
JudgesVaries each year
Country of originWales
Original languageWelsh
No. of episodes54 editions
Production
Production locationSwansea Arena (2024)
Running time120 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companyAvanti (2006–present)
Original release
NetworkBBC One (1969)
BBC One Wales (1970–1978, 1982)
HTV (1979, 1981)
BBC Radio Cymru (1980)
S4C (1983–present)
Release5 June 1969 (1969-06-05) –
present

Cân i Gymru (English: A Song for Wales, Welsh pronunciation: [ˈkaːn i ˈɡəmrɨ]) is a Welsh-language television talent competition that is broadcast annually on S4C. It was first introduced in 1969 when BBC Cymru wanted to enter the Eurovision Song Contest.[citation needed] The winner of the contest represents Wales at the annual Pan Celtic Festival held in Ireland and is also awarded a cash prize (which varies from year to year).

History

[edit]
The folk group Cilmeri performing in the 1975 competition, placing second.

Cân i Gymru was presented to Wales under the name Cân Disc a Dawn, a competition based around the Welsh language pop music show Disc a Dawn [cy] (as seen on Victor Lewis Smith's TV Offal), for the first time in 1969. At the time, Meredydd Evans, head of light entertainment at BBC Cymru Wales, hoped that the winning song would be able to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, although the BBC in London decided in the end that only one song from Britain would compete.[1]

Eight programmes were broadcast in the series to select a Song for Wales with seven songs in each, performed by well-known singers of the time. The public voted by sending in letters and the song with the most votes went through to the final. The last programme was broadcast on 5 June 1969 throughout Britain on BBC1 under the title Song for Wales and was presented by Ronnie Williams in Welsh and English.[2] A panel then chose the winning song on the night.[3] The programme was also part of the BBC's provision for the Investiture of Prince Charles which would take place on 1 July 1969.

Following the establishment of the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland in the early 1970s the Festival's Wales Committee started the Cân i Gymru competition once again in order to choose a song to represent Wales in the Celtavision competition. There was no competition in 1973. Initially the media in Wales did not have much interest in the competition. Cân i Gymru was not broadcast live on television, and a panel voted to choose the winners. For example, the 1980 competition was held at Bar Cefn yr Angel in Aberystwyth and was broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru.

By 1982 the competition was back on television but a panel still chose the winner. The winning song is now chosen by a vote where members of the public phone for their favorite song. In 2024, the prize was £5,000 with £3,000 for second place and £2,000 for third place. The winner has the opportunity to go on to compete in Celtavision, held in Ireland as part of the Pan Celtic Festival.

Unlike the majority of singing competitions in Europe, the emphasis is on the composer of the song rather than the performer. A compilation album was released in 2005 by Welsh record label Sain containing all the tracks that won the competition from its inception in 1969 to 2005.[4] This was followed by individual compilation albums for the 2006 and 2007 competitions, both of which were released by TPF Records.

Winners by year

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Year Singer Song[5] English translation Composer(s)
1969 Margaret Williams "Y Cwilt Cymreig" The Welsh Quilt Llifon Hughes-Jones and Megan Lloyd Ellis
1970 Y Canolwyr "Dydd o haf" A Summer's Day Hawys James
1971 Eleri Llwyd "Nwy yn y Nen" Gas in the Air Dewi 'Pws' Morris
1972 Heather Jones "Pan ddaw'r Dydd" When the Day Comes Geraint Jarman
1973 Not Held
1974 Iris Williams "I gael Cymru'n Gymru Rhydd" To make Wales a Free Wales Rod Thomas and Rod Gruffydd
1975 Brân "Caledfwlch" Excalibur Gwyndaf Roberts
1976 Rhian Rowe "Y Llanc Glas Lygad" The Blue-eyed Boy Douglas Roberts
1977 Cawl Sefin "Dafydd ap Gwilym" Dafydd ap Gwilym Peter Hughes Griffiths and Meinir Lloyd
1978 Delwyn Sion and Brân "Angel ble wyt ti?" Angel, Where are you? John Gwyn and Ronw Protheroe
1979 Pererin "Ni Welaf yr Haul" I don't see the Sun Arfon Wyn
1980 Plethyn "Golau Tan Gwmwl" A Light under a Cloud Geraint Løvgreen and Myrddin ap Dafydd
1981 Beca "Dechrau'r Dyfodol" The Beginning of the Future Gareth Glyn and Eleri Cwyfan
1982 Caryl Parry Jones and Bando "Nid Llwynog Oedd yr Haul" The Sun wasn't a Fox Geraint Løvgreen and Myrddin ap Dafydd
1983 Siân Wheway and Robin Gwyn "Popeth ond y Gwir" Everything but the Truth Siân Wheway and Robin Gwyn
1984 Geraint Griffiths "Y Cwm" The Valley Huw Chiswell
1985 Bwchadanas "Ceiliog y Gwynt" The Weathervane Euros Rhys Evans
1986 Eirlys Parri "Be ddylwn i Ddweud" What Should I Say? Mari Emlyn
1987 Eryr Wen "Gloria Tyrd Adre" Gloria, Come Home Euros Elis Jones and Llion Jones
1988 Manon Llwyd "Can Wini" Winnie's Song Manon Llwyd and Eurig Wyn
1989 Hefin Huws "Twll Triongl" Triangular Hole Hefin Huws and Les Morrison
1990 Sobin a'r Smaeliaid "Gwlad y Rasta Gwyn" Land of the White Rasta Rhys Wyn Parry and Bryn Fôn
1991 Neil Williams a'r Band "Yr Un Hen Le" The Same Old Place Richard Marks
1992 Eifion Williams "Dal i Gredu" Still Believing Gwennant Pyrs, Meleri Roberts and Alwen Derbyshire
1993 Paul Gregory "Y Cam Nesa" The Next Step Paul Gregory
1994 Geraint Griffiths "Rhyw Ddydd" Some Day Paul Gregory, Lorraine King, Tim Hamill and Dave Parsons
1995 Gwenda Owen "Yr Ynys Werdd" The Emerald Isle Richard Jones and Arwel John
1996 Iwcs a Doyle "Cerrig yr Afon" Stones of the River Iwan Roberts and John Doyle
1997 Bryn Fôn "Un Funud Fach" One Short Minute Barry Jones
1998 Arwel Wyn Roberts "Rho Dy Law" Place Your Hand Rhodri Tomos
1999 Steffan Rhys Williams "Torri'n Rhydd" Breaking Free Matthew McAvoy and Steffan Rhys Williams
2000 Martin Beattie "Cae o Yd" A Field of Corn Arfon Wyn
2001 Geinor Haf "Dagrau Ddoe" Yesterday's Tears Emlyn Dole
2002 Elin Fflur "Harbwr Diogel" A Safe Harbour Arfon Wyn and Richard Synnott
2003 Non Parry and Steffan Rhys Williams "Oes Lle i Mi" Is there a Place for me? Emma Walford and Mererid Hopwood
2004 Rhian Mair Lewis "Dagrau Tawel" Quiet Tears Meinir Richards and Tudur Dylan
2005 Rhydian Bowen Phillips "Mi Glywais" I Heard Dafydd Jones and Guto Vaughan
2006 Ryland Teifi "Lili'r nos" Lily of the Night Ryland Teifi
2007 Einir Dafydd and Ceri Wyn Jones "Blwyddyn Mas"[6] A Year Out Einir Dafydd and Ceri Wyn Jones
2008 Aled Myrddin "Atgofion"[7] Memories Aled Myrddin
2009 Elfed Morgan Morris "Gofidiau" Worries Lowri Watcyn Roberts and Elfed Morgan Morris
2010 Tomos Wyn Williams "Bws i'r Lleuad" A Bus to the Moon Alun Evans
2011 Tesni Jones "Rhywun yn Rhywle" Somebody Somewhere Steve Balsamo and Ynyr Gruffydd
2012 Gai Toms "Braf yw Cael Byw" Living's Fine Gai Toms and Philip Jones
2013 Jessop a'r Sgweiri "Mynd i Gorwen Hefo Alys" Going to Corwen with Alys Rhys Gwynfor and Osian Huw Williams
2014 Mirain Evans[8] "Galw Amdanat Ti" Calling for You Barry Evans and Mirain Evans
2015 Elin Angharad "Y Lleuad a'r Sêr" The Moon and the Stars Elin Angharad and Arfon Wyn
2016 Cordia "Dim ond Un" Only One Ffion Elin and Rhys Jones
2017 Cadi Gwyn Edwards "Rhydd" Free Cadi Gwyn Edwards
2018 Ceidwad y Gân "Cofio Hedd Wyn" Remembering Hedd Wyn Erfyl Owen
2019 Elidyr Glyn "Fel Hyn 'da Ni Fod" This is How we Should Be Elidyr Glyn
2020 Gruffydd Wyn "Cyn i’r Llenni Gau" Before the Curtain Falls Stuart Roslyn and T Jay
2021 Morgan Elwy Williams "Bach o Hwne" A Bit of That Morgan Elwy Williams
2022 Ryland Teifi "Mae yna Le" There is a Place Rhydian Meilir
2023 Dylan Morris "Patagonia" — Alistair James
2024 Sara Davies [9] "Ti" You Sara Davies

Hostings

[edit]
Elin Fflur, two-time participant and winner of the 33rd edition of the competition, has been a co-presenter of the show since 2011.
Year Location Presenter(s) Production company Broadcaster
1969 Newport Ronnie Williams BBC Cymru Wales BBC1
1970 Cardiff BBC1 Wales
1971 Cardiff Huw Jones [cy]
1972 Cardiff Un­known
1974 Cardiff Dewi Morris
1975 Cardiff Hywel Gwynfryn
1976 Cardiff Un­known
1977 Cardiff Gwyn Erfyl [cy]
1978 Cardiff Un­known
1979 Cardiff Arfon Haines Davies HTV Productions HTV
1980 Aberystwyth Emyr Wyn [cy] and Mynediad am Ddim [cy] BBC Cymru Wales BBC Radio Cymru
1981 Mold Gwyn Erfyl HTV Productions HTV
1982 Cardiff Menna Gwyn [cy] and Emyr Wyn BBC Cymru Wales BBC1 Wales
1983 Cardiff Emyr Wyn S4C
1984 Cardiff
1985 Cardiff
1986 Cardiff Margaret Williams
1987 Llandudno Caryl Parry Jones Teledu'r Tir Glas [cy]
1988 Llandudno Geraint Griffiths
1989 Llandudno Nia Roberts
1990 Caernarfon Alaw Bennett Jones and Owain Gwilym
1991 Caernarfon Nia Roberts
1992 Caernarfon
1993 Caernarfon
1994 Cardiff Nia Roberts and Stifyn Parri HTV Productions
1995 Pontrhydfendigaid Nia Roberts Apollo
1996 Pontrhydfendigaid
1997 Pontrhydfendigaid
1998 Cardiff
1999 Corwen Nia Roberts and Dafydd Meredydd
2000 Llangollen
2001 Llangollen
2002 Port Talbot Lisa Gwilym, and Angharad Llwyd
2003 Port Talbot
2004 Newport Sarra Elgan
2005 Newport Sarra Elgan and Alun Williams
2006 Port Talbot Sarra Elgan and Hefin Thomas Avanti
2007 Port Talbot Eleri Siôn and Dafydd Meredydd
2008 Port Talbot Sarra Elgan and Rhydian Bowen Phillips
2009 Llandudno Rhodri Owen and Sarra Elgan
2010 Llandudno
2011 Pontrhydfendigaid Elin Fflur and Dafydd Meredydd
2012 Pontrhydfendigaid
2013 Cardiff
2014 Gwalchmai Elin Fflur and Gethin Evans
2015 Gwalchmai Elin Fflur and Trystan Ellis-Morris
2016 Cardiff
2017 Cardiff
2018 Bangor
2019 Aberystwyth
2020 Aberystwyth
2021 Cardiff
2022 Aberystwyth
2023 Aberystwyth
2024 Swansea[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Can i Gymru - UKGameshows". www.ukgameshows.com. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Lle oeddwn i: Margaret Williams, Cân i Gymru 1969". BBC Cymru Fyw. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  3. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Various - Can I Gymru (Y Casgliad Cyflawn: 1969-2005)". Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via www.discogs.com.
  5. ^ "S4C - Cân i Gymru". www.s4c.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  6. ^ "S4C - Cân i Gymru". Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  7. ^ "S4C - Cân i Gymru". Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  8. ^ "The Winners". Cân i Gymru. S4C. 26 February 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014. Barry and Mirain Evans – a father and daughter from Chwilog, near Pwllheli – are the winners of Cân i Gymru 2014.
  9. ^ a b Davies, Dylan (1 March 2024). "Tregaron teacher scoops Cân i Gymru prize for song inspired by grandparents". Cambrian News. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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