Cadair Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Ynys Môn 2017

Lluniau gan/Images by Geraint Thomas. Diolch i Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru ac Canolfan Arloesi Pontio, Bangor.

Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, mae Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri wedi bod yn adnewyddu Yr Ysgwrn, cartref Hedd Wyn, a chyda’r gwaith bellach yn dod i ben, yr Awdurdod sydd wedi rhoi’r Gadair eleni. Ym mlwyddyn canmlwyddiant y Gadair Ddu, mae’r gadair erbyn hyn wedi’i hadfer i’w gogoniant gwreiddiol, yn barod i gael ei gweld unwaith eto yng nghartref y bardd ifanc yn Nhrawsfynydd.

Ac mae dolen bwysig arall rhwng Hedd Wyn a Chadair Eisteddfod Ynys Môn eleni, gan fod Cadair 2017 wedi’i chreu’n rhannol o ynn a derw a lifiwyd o goed a dyfodd ar dir Yr Ysgwrn, coed a fyddai wedi bod yn tyfu yno yn nyddiau Hedd Wyn ei hun.  Y crefftwr ifanc, Rhodri Owen, sy’n egluro: “Mae’r syniad o ail-eni a symud ymlaen yn ganolog i gysyniad y Gadair eleni. Ond mae’r ddolen gyda’r gorffennol hefyd yn bwysig, ac felly fe fûm yn ystyried siapiau’r offer ac arfau a fyddai’n cael eu defnyddio’n ddyddiol mewn ardal wledig ganrif yn ôl, gan eu datblygu a’u mewnosod yn y cynllun.

“Mae’r ddwy goes ôl yn codi tua’r ‘lloer’ ac ar siâp pladuriaid, a gwaelod y cefn ar siâp dau haearn marcio, a fyddai wedi’u defnyddio i farcio’r tywyrch cyn torri’r mawn ym myd amaeth. Mae’r ddau siâp cefn wrth gefn yn creu un haearn donni, a fyddai’n torri’r dywarchen ar ôl ei marcio, yn pwyntio tua’r is-fyd, gan gynrychioli tywyllwch a marwolaeth, tra bo pen y Gadair a’r Nod Cyfrin yn cynrychioli goleuni a bywyd newydd.

The Hero was the title of the poem for the Chair competition a century ago at the Eisteddfod of the Black Chair in Birkenhead, when Ellis Humphrey Evans, Hedd Wyn, won the Chair.  The young soldier-poet had been killed in action weeks before the ceremony, and a black shroud was placed on the Chair in his honour.  In 2017, the National Eisteddfod remembers the young poet’s sacrifice and the loss of a generation of young men to Wales.

Over the past few years, the Snowdonia National Park Authority has been restoring Yr Ysgwrn, the home of Hedd Wyn, and with the work now complete, the Authority has donated this year’s Eisteddfod Chair.  In the centenary year of the Black Chair, the original chair has been restored to its former glory, and can now be seen at the young poet’s home in Trawsfynydd.

And there is another important link between Hedd Wyn and the Anglesey National Eisteddfod Chair this year, as the 2017 Chair has been partly crafted from ash and oak wood sawn from trees growing in the grounds of Yr Ysgwrn; trees which would have been growing there during Hedd Wyn’s lifetime.  The Chair’s creator, Rhodri Owen, explains, “The idea of reincarnation and moving forward is central to the concept of this year’s Chair.  But the link with the past is also very important, and I considered the shapes of the tools and implements used daily in rural life a century ago when working on the design.

“Rydw i hefyd wedi cadw mewn cof y ffaith mai ym Môn y cynhelir yr Eisteddfod eleni, ac wrth gwrs, mae’r cyswllt Celtaidd felly’n amlwg, a’r syniad Celtaidd o ail-eni a symud o’r tywyllwch i’r goleuni sydd i’w weld yng nghynllun y Gadair. Mae egin bywyd yn codi wrth i’r düwch ildio i oleuni a’r gobaith o fywyd newydd, heddychlon mewn oes o ansicrwydd gwleidyddol byd-eang ac argyfwng hunaniaethol y Cymry.

“Roedd hi’n bwysig i’r Parc ac i minnau fod y Gadair yn cyfleu ei neges ei hun, ac rwy’n gobeithio fy mod wedi gwireddu hyn, gan roi’r pwyslais ar gamu ymlaen yn hyderus fel cenedl o Gymry i ddyfodol newydd, gwell a heddychlon.”

Gwnaethpwyd y Gadair â llaw yng ngweithdy Rhodri Owen yn Ysbyty Ifan.

“I’ve also considered the fact that this year’s Eisteddfod is held in Anglesey, so the Celtic link is obvious, as are the Celtic ideals of reincarnation and moving from the dark to the light, depicted in the design.  The seeds of life rise as the darkness surrenders to the light and the hope of a new, peaceful life in a time of political uncertainty worldwide and a crisis of Welsh identity.

“The Park Authority and I wanted the Chair to convey its own message, and I hope I have achieved this, emphasising the need for the Welsh nation to confidently step forward to a new, better and peaceful future.”

The Chair has been created by hand in Rhodri Owen’s workshop in Ysbyty Ifan.