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Ferns Public Art Launch – Do the Little Things – everyone welcome!

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Ferns Public Art Launch - Do the Little Things - everyone welcome!

Saturday 15th April 12-3 pm St Edan’s Cathedral Ferns

Do the Little Things is a new public artwork designed for two locations: Ferns, Wexford and St Davids, Pembrokeshire commissioned by Ancient Connections. Bedwyr Williams’ distinctive proposal was selected from a shortlist and has been realised with the support of Contemporary Art Society Consultancy.

Do the Little Things connects the two communities of Ferns and St Davids through the practice of beekeeping, which was practiced at monasteries during the early Christian period.

Three oversized skeps (traditional beekeeper’s hives) made from cedar wood are being installed in both locations. These living sculptures will contain bee colonies that are being cared for by local beekeepers and community groups, who will be harvesting and selling honey in labelled jars designed by the artist and local school children.

Bedwyr says: “I’m interested in objects that invite communities to become active participants to make the artwork whole. St David’s last words were “Gwnewch y pethau bychain” or “Do the little things.” This ethos has guided the development of my proposal, which is founded on the story of St David and St Aidan and steeped in the magic and history of these two intertwined locations.”

Sited in the grounds of St Edan’s Cathedral Church heritage graveyard, the work opens to the public on Saturday 15th April, from 12 pm. The launch event will bring community groups to the site for a Q&A with the Artist and local beekeeper from ‘Ferns Honey’, Joe Kelly; folklore and storytelling, and a performance of music and song by Melanie O’Reilly, David Creevy and the ‘Chord On Blues’ Ferns Community Choir, led by Mary Moulds.

The event is free and all are welcome.  Please book via Eventbrite (see link at bottom)

The launch of the Ferns’ twin bee skeps at St. Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, took place last November, providing an opportunity to celebrate this extraordinary artwork for visitors to both locations, and an legacy link between Ferns and St. Davids.

Do The Little Things will also mark the beginning and end of the new pilgrim route between St Edan’s Cathedral in Ferns and St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire – another legacy of the Ancient Connections project. Managed by The British Pilgrimage Trust, the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way will encourage low impact tourism in both regions and will open to the public in 2023. Similarly, sustainability and a respect for the environment are at the heart of the artwork, which is endorsed and supported by the local authorities of Wexford County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council, in partnership with the ERDF Ireland-Wales Programme, local organisations and community groups.

Bedwyr Williams is an internationally regarded artist who lives and works in Wales. Williams’ work often focuses on the stories of ordinary people and the intersections between their lived experiences and ancient mythologies. The artist is concerned with creating spaces for meaningful connections between communities and art and making.

Please book via Eventbrite 

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Ar Log performing St Davids Cathedral

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Ar Log yn perfformio caneuon gwerin Cymraeg newydd yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi

Ar Log yw un o grwpiau gwerin mwyaf hirhoedlog a mwyaf poblogaidd Cymru. Mae dawn gerddorol  anhygoel y band, eu lleisiau Cymraeg sensitif, a’u clocsio bywiog i gyd i’w mwynhau ar eu recordiau. Er bod yna lawer o gerddorion gwych yng Nghymru, dylai unrhyw archwiliad o gerddoriaeth y wlad ddechrau gyda, neu o leiaf gynnwys,  recordiadau Ar Log. 

Byddan nhw’n perfformio cyfres newydd o chwe chân werin Gymreig a gyfansoddwyd gan y cyfansoddwr Cymreig byd-enwog Paul Mealor gyda’r geiriau gan un o feirdd amlycaf Cymru, Grahame Davies.

 Ar Log oedd y grŵp proffesiynol cyntaf i fynd â cherddoriaeth draddodiadol Cymru i’r llwyfan rhyngwladol. Ffurfiwyd y grŵp yn arbennig ar gyfer gŵyl Lorient, Llydaw, ym 1976, ac wedi hynny treuliodd y grŵp saith mlynedd yn perfformio ar hyd a lled Ewrop, Gogledd a De America, gan greu enw rhagorol iddyn nhw eu hunain fel llysgenhadon pennaf cerddoriaeth Gymreig. Gyda deg albwm hynod lwyddiannus i’w henw, maen nhw’n dal i swyno eu cynulleidfaoedd trwy eu perfformiadau byw cofiadwy a bywiog.

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Sift – exhibition at Oriel Y Parc and St Davids Cathedral Refectory

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Sift – arddangosfa yn Oriel y Parc a Ffreutur Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi

Yn agor ddydd Iau 23 Chwefror

4-5 pm Y Ffreutur, Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi – Small Finds David Begley

5-7 pm Oriel Y Parc – Seán Vicary, John Sunderland, Sylvia Cullen, Linda Norris

Dydd Sul 26 Mawrth 2 – 5.20 pm Light Boats gyda Tracy Breathnach, Porth Mawr, Tyddewi

Teithiau arddangos i Swyddfa Cyngor Sir Wexford, Carriklawn 17 Ebrill – 19 Mai. Yn agor ddydd Gwener 14 Ebrill

Mae’n bleser gan Gysylltiadau Hynafol gyhoeddi agor arddangosfa o’r enw Sift yn Oriel y Parc a Ffreutur Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi ar 23 Chwefror. Yn dilyn hyn, bydd y sioe yn teithio i dref Wexford, gan agor ar 14 Ebrill yn swyddfeydd Cyngor Sir Wexford yn Carricklawn.

Mae’r chwe artist, yn cynnwys John Sunderland, Sylvia Cullen a David Begley, sydd wedi eu lleoli yn nwyrain Iwerddon a  Seán Vicary, Linda NorrisTracy Breathnac sydd yng ngorllewin Cymru.

Mae’r arddangosfa’n plethu themâu teithio, lleoedd cysegredig, treftadaeth hynafol, adrodd straeon a hiraeth am gartref ynghyd trwy ffotograffiaeth, animeiddio, sain, celfyddydau cyfranogol, testun, stori, gwydr a golau. Mae’r artistiaid wedi’u hysbrydoli gan ganfyddiadau  ehangach prosiect Cysylltiadau Hynafol. Mae ymchwil hanesyddol, llên gwerin a chasglu straeon wedi datgelu cysylltiadau dwfn rhwng y ddau ranbarth yma ac mae’r cloddiadau archeolegol a’r arolygon geoffisegol yn y Porth Mawr ac yn Ferns, Wexford yn adrodd hanes teithio a chysylltiadau rhwng Wexford a Sir Benfro o’r cyfnod cynhanes hyd heddiw.

Meddai’r awdur Sylvia Cullen, sydd wedi’i lleoli yn Wexford:

Y môr sy’n ein cysylltu ni” – Dyma’r geiriau oedd fwyaf perthnasol i mi, wrth i mi ymchwilio ar gyfer y comisiwn hwn. Ysgrifennu a recordio pedair stori fer newydd mewn ymateb i nifer o themâu Cysylltiadau Hynafol oedd ffocws fy ngwaith. Cafodd y rhan fwyaf o’r cymeriadau a’r bydoedd a ddaeth i’r amlwg eu hysbrydoli gan fywydau a digwyddiadau’n gysylltiedig â’r dŵr sy’n cysylltu Sir Benfro a Gogledd Wexford.

Mae artist amlgyfrwng Seán Vicary wedi creu gosodiad fideo newydd ac meddai:

Mae fy ngwaith yn ymateb i fis a dreuliais yn gweithio ochr yn ochr ag Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Dyfed yn ystod y gwaith o gloddio mynwent ganoloesol gynnar sy’n cael ei bygwth gan erydiad arfordirol  yng Nghapel Sant Padrig, Porth Mawr. Rwyf wedi defnyddio delweddau symudol, recordiadau a wnes i yn y maes ac animeiddiad i fyfyrio ar y profiad hwn ac archwilio’r berthynas rhwng y prosesau archaeolegol ac artistig.

Derbyniodd Tracy Breathnach wahoddiad gan Gysylltiadau Hynafol i greu digwyddiad cyfranogol ar Draeth y Porth Mawr i goffáu pawb a gladdwyd ym mynwent ganoloesol gynnar Capel Sant Padrig. Cynhelir y digwyddiad rhad ac am ddim hwn rhwng 2 a 5.20 pm ddydd Sul 26 Mawrth ac mae ar agor i unrhyw un. Meddai Tracy: ‘Bydd y rhai sy’n cymryd rhan yn creu cychod helyg syml maint cledr eich llaw, wedi’i lenwi â bwndel bach o blanhigion brodorol i’w gosod ar y traeth er mwyn i’r llanw eu cario allan. Bydd gosod golau gyda phob cwch bach yn symbolaidd, gall gynrychioli meddyliau, dymuniadau, gobeithion a gweddïau dros y rhai sy’n byw a’r rhai sydd wedi marw’.

Archebwch le drwy’r ddolen Eventbrite yma

Mae David Begley wedi bod yn artist Preswyl gyda Chysylltiadau Hynafol ers 2020. Mae ei ymchwil i arferion ffermio canoloesol, Sant Aeddan o Ferns, planhigion meddyginiaethol, llawysgrifau canoloesol a gwneud inc, yn ogystal ag arferion ffermio ac iacháu cyfoes yn Ferns wedi ysbrydoli corff presennol David o waith Small Findings mewn lluniadu, peintio a fideo a fydd yn cael eu harddangos yn Ffreutur Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi.

Mae Linda Norris wedi creu gosodiad golau a gwydr sy’n cynnwys dresel rithwir sy’n ymgorffori barddoniaeth a ysgrifennwyd gan gyfranogwyr o Sir Benfro ac Iwerddon ac a ysbrydolwyd gan ddarnau ceramig a ddarganfuwyd ac sydd wedi’u ‘sandblastio’ ar ddarnau o wydr. Meddai Linda:

Yn ei hanfod, mae’r gwaith yn ymchwilio’n ddychmygus i gysylltiadau dynol pwerus ar draws amser a thirweddau. Mae’r darnau bach hyn yn borth i fywydau a lleoedd eraill, ac mae teithio yno’n ein hysbrydoli i fyfyrio ar ein pennau ein hunain.

Yn ei gyfres o focsys golau o’r enw Unheimlich, mae John Sunderland yn dogfennu’r llwybr pererindod newydd o Ferns i Dyddewi, gan ddychmygu sut y byddai rhywun o’r cyfnod canoloesol wedi ymateb i’r tirweddau hyn, fel yr oedden nhw bryd hynny a sut y maen nhw heddiw. Mae wedi tynnu lluniau o olygfeydd sy’n crynhoi’r myfyrdodau hyn.

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Pererin Wyf – new arts project launch!

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Pererin Wyf - new arts project launch!

Pererin Wyf / Is oilithreach mé / I am a Pilgrim: Sounding the way back through story and song

is a new cross border participatory arts project connecting the Welsh and Irish diasporas of North Pembrokeshire and North Wexford launching this Autumn.

The Pererin Wyf project will be delivered by artist Rowan O’Neill and Pembrokeshire based community arts organisation SPAN Arts, working in tandem with co-facilitators, Irish artists Rachel Uí Fhaoláin from Ceol Mo Chroí and John Ó Faoláin from Traditional Archive Channel.

 Pererin Wyf is Welsh for the affirmative statement, ‘I am a pilgrim’ and is the title of an 18th century hymn written by prolific hymn writer, William Williams Pantycelyn from which this project takes its inspiration.  The hymn later became associated with the tune Amazing Grace and was popularised in the 1960s with a recording by Iris Williams.

The Pererin Wyf  project will invite singers from all over the world to record a version of this song in any language from the location of their choice.  Recordings will be pinned to a digital map to form a global chorus of this enduring song.  Project participants will also have the chance to offer their personal reflections and connections to North Pembrokeshire and Wexford whether current resident, the home place of their forebears, or place of significance for other reasons.

The project Pererin Wyf will begin in September 2022 with a series of free bi-weekly online workshops with world class speakers focusing on the key themes of the project; connecting with the Welsh and Irish diaspora, language, home, travel and song.  Speakers will include David Greenslade whose book Welsh Fever is a gazeteer of Welsh activity and connection in North America, Pamela Petro author of The Long Field, a meditation on hiraeth shortlisted for the 2022 Welsh Book of the year, Professor Helen Phelan Director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and Rachel Uí Fhaoláin and John Ó Faoláin, traditional song, folklore and story collectors based in Wexford.

A series of hybrid workshops will follow culminating in an exchange trip between host county participants in the Spring of 2023.  The workshops will result in a new version of the song featuring the Irish language and reflecting contemporary understandings of pilgrimage, home and return.

If you have a personal connection with North Pembrokeshire or Wexford and would like to take part in this project we would love to hear from you.  Please email rowan@span-arts.org.uk to find out more about how you could get involved or book a place on the introductory session on the 29th September through www.span-arts.org.uk 

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Public Art Launch – Do the Little Things – everyone welcome!

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Public Art Launch - Do the Little Things - everyone welcome!

Friday 18th November 3 – 5 pm St Davids Cathedral grounds 

Do the Little Things is a new public artwork designed for two locations: St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, and Ferns, Wexford.

The three giant bee hives made from cedar wood have been created by Bedwyr Williams, whose project has been realised with the support of Contemporary Art Society Consultancy.

These ‘living sculptures’ will house live bee colonies and Do the Little Things connects the two communities of St Davids and Ferns through the practice of beekeeping, reflecting the medieval story of St David and his friendship with St Aidan, who brought bees back to Ireland from Wales.

The bee colonies are being cared for by local beekeepers and community groups, who will be harvesting and selling honey in labelled jars designed by the artist and local school children.

Bedwyr says: “I’m interested in objects that invite communities to become active participants to make the artwork whole. St David’s last words were “Gwnewch y pethau bychain” or “Do the little things.” This ethos has guided the development of my proposal, which is founded on the story of St David and St Aidan and steeped in the magic and history of these two intertwined locations.”

Sited in the grounds of St David’s Cathedral, the first edition of the work opens to the public on Friday 18 November from 3 pm. The launch will include a Q&A with the artist and local beekeeper Gayle Twitchen, storytelling, and a performance of  the ‘Bee Song’ by children from Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi led by composer Sam Howley. The event is free and all are welcome.

Bees have linked St Davids and Ferns since the sixth century, when St David gifted a hive of bees to St Aidan to keep, after the monastery bees twice followed their favourite monk home to Ireland and had to be brought back” said the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of the Cathedral. “We’re delighted to welcome this striking symbol of the ties between us”.

Please register for the event so that we know how many people to cater for