Ifor ap Glyn facts for kids

Ifor ap Glyn (born in 1961) is a Welsh poet and television presenter. He is well-known for writing poems in the Welsh language. From 2016 to 2022, he held the special role of National Poet of Wales.

Early Life and Learning

Ifor ap Glyn was born in London, England. He grew up in a family that spoke Welsh. He later went to Cardiff University and graduated from there. As an adult, he moved to different places in Wales, including Denbighshire and Caernarfon.

A Career in Poetry

Ifor ap Glyn mainly writes his poems in Welsh. However, he has also written some poems in English. In 2018, he released a book called Cuddle Call?. This book was special because it had both Welsh and English versions of his poems side-by-side.

Awards and Recognition

Ifor ap Glyn has won the important Crown award at the National Eisteddfod of Wales twice. He first won it in 1999 and then again in 2013. The National Eisteddfod is a big festival that celebrates Welsh culture. In 1999, he also performed at a concert to celebrate the opening of the Senedd, which is the Welsh Parliament.

In 2008, Ifor ap Glyn was chosen to be the Bardd Plant Cymru. This means he was the Children's Poet Laureate for Wales for one year. He has also represented Wales at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in the USA two times. This festival celebrates different cultures from around the world.

Working in Television

Before he became a full-time poet and writer for plays, Ifor ap Glyn worked in television. He was a producer and wrote scripts for TV shows. He also worked a lot with a theatre company called Cwmni Dda. He was even in charge of making a documentary film called Cysgod Rhyfel (which means The Shadow of War). This film, made in 2014, looked at how war affects soldiers and their families.

National Poet of Wales

On March 1, 2016, Ifor ap Glyn was chosen as the National Poet of Wales. He took over this role from Gillian Clarke. As the National Poet, he wrote poems in both Welsh and English.

Special Poems and Events

During his time as National Poet, Ifor ap Glyn wrote many poems for important events. These included poems for:

• The 20th birthday of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).
• The 100th anniversary of the end of World War I (the Armistice).
• The Wales football team getting into the Euro 2016 tournament.
• The 80th anniversary of the Mynydd Epynt eviction, when people were forced to leave their homes.
• The reopening of the home of the famous poet Hedd Wyn.
• The 2017 UEFA Champions League Final when it was held in Cardiff.

He also wrote poems to help people. He wrote poems for patients at Velindre Cancer Centre. He supported the DEC Cymru's appeal after the Indonesia Tsunami. He also wrote a poem to welcome Syrian refugees to Wales.

Ifor ap Glyn was the National Poet of Wales for six years, ending his term in 2022. Hanan Issa took over the role after him. Ifor ap Glyn said that Hanan Issa was a poet he admired and that she would bring new ideas to the country's conversations.

Plays

• Branwen
• Frongoch

Television (as presenter)

• Ar Lafar (2011)
• The Toilet: An Unspoken History (2012)
• Pagans and Pilgrims: Britain's Holiest Places (2013)