You’re invited to join the Welsh Group, at the usual venue, for a traditional “Noson Lawen” (Fun Evening) on the 30th of September. There will be competitions, dramatic pieces, charades, songs and poetry readings. Most of the events will be through the medium of Welsh, rather like having our own Eisteddfod, but don’t let that put you off.
It’s a bottle and plate night so book your place as soon as you can. Places are limited. Ring Jane on 526 2530
“Ymunwch a’r hwyl, cyfle efallai i ddechrau Cymdeithas Gymraeg Maghull a Lydiate!”
Art Appreciation and Architecture for Fun – Joint trip
Thursday Nov.17th 2011
Walk the walled city, lunch and then on to The Chester Cartoon Gallery. Click on the link for a taste of what’s in store. Bring spare pair of socks. Return visit by popular demand.
Our day trips programme continued with a trip to the Grosvenor Garden Centre at Belgrave, on the edge of the Duke of Westminster’s Estate. There was time for browsing and a visit to the FARMA approved Farmers Market. The produce was all from local farms – super cakes and chocolates, home produced lamb, buffalo, beef, pork etc. and vegetables. Chutneys, cheeses, jams etc. and my special purchase the most delicious lemon curd. It had only been made the day before, on the farm, with eggs from their own chickens and fresh lemons – no essences!! Most of our members bought something. After lunch we made our way to the River Dee – only 3 miles, for our 2 hour cruise on The Jackie through beautiful, peaceful countryside. A relaxing day was had by all
2012 – time to start thinking about our programme for next year – any suggestions or ideas, please let us have them. We still have a few treats left for this year.
Fri.14th Oct. Dagfields Antique and Craft Emporium and the National Trust Little Moreton Hall
Fri.llth Nov. The lovely town of Clitheroe with its specialist shops and Botany Bay
Mon.12th Dec. Cheshire Candles and Wild Boar Country House Hotel for our Christmas meal.
In between we have our Turkey and Tinsel visit to Scarborough from Mon.21st Nov. to Fri.25th Nov.
After a recent survey conducted at our coffee morning table, it was voted for tips to be included in the price of our trips. So from 2012 all prices will include gratuities.
Православни икониEisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru 2011 National Eistedddfod of Wales 2011
Didn’t we have a lovely day, the day we went to ……… Wrexham. Well actually we did. The sun blazed, the Bardic Circle beckoned and the Pavilion flags fluttered in the welcome breeze and we were in our element.
We began our adventure with a group photo but who should take it? I approached the first person we saw and asked if he’d take the photo for us. Ever had that sinking feeling? I did, for as he turned around he turned out to be pretty well known …. the former MP for Caernarfonshire but could I remember his name? No! He was forgiving though and after introductions and explanations as to why there was a flourishing Welsh class in Maghull he took our photo. Our day was up and running.
The free motor scooter service made life easier for Eirlys and the rest of us found we had to be brisk if we wanted to keep up with her as we explored the huge Eisteddfod site. I wonder is she’s any relation to Mike Hazelwood?
We sat in the Pavilion and took in one of the early competitions of the day -an operatic solo for over 19 year olds. The performances were excellent and we all voiced an opinion as to who should win but somehow the judges didn’t see things our way!
After lunch and a visit to the beer tent, came the taster session in the Welsh Learners’ Tent. Down to serious work with an opportunity to see how our beginners compared to the others there. Needless to say they did brilliantly! Lil and I popped out in search of ice cream and were tempted by a Scotsman giving samples of spicy sausages. They were tasty and so was he in his kilt. Don’t tell Bill but I think Lil caught his eye! Later on she was caught on camera hugging a huge wizard , she definitely had a twinkle in her eye after that!
We enjoyed the alfresco concert given by the Three Welsh Tenors and felt quite emotional as they sang “All through the Night” and “David of the White Rock”. We were also impressed that on such a hot day they managed to look so cool and smart in their suits!
The Eisteddfod field had so many attractions that it was impossible to see and experience them all in one day. We had hoped to visit the Pagoda and the Theatre but all too soon it was time to make our way into the Main Pavilion for the Main Ceremony of the day – the presentation of the Prose Medal.
The Eisteddfod came into its own as the Bardic Circle took their place on the stage and the Arch Druid led the High Officials to their place. The adjudicators came on and gave their verdict on all the candidates and their offerings. All entries were anonymous and when the winner was named we laughed as the Arch Druid called for all the audience to remain seated save for “Sitting Bull” who should stand! The floodlights scanned the audience and there was the winner in all her glory – Mannon Rhys. The Mistress of the Robes went to meet her and she was robed and then led to the stage. The Corn Gwlad called to the four corners of the Pavilion and in turn we all stood to greet the winner. The sword was unsheathed above her head and the Arch Druid asked for peace. After the fourth call the sword was sheathed and the bard could now sit in the peace of the Eisteddfod. “Sitting Bull” being told to sit caused another titter but soon we were all enthralled by the Dance of the Feather as the local children paid their respect to the Winner of the Prose Medal.
It may have been unbelievably hot in the Pavilion but not one of us would have missed it, the atmosphere was electric, the whole thing was pure magic. The robes, the ceremony, the ritual, the dancing, the emotion it was wonderful. To quote David “I’ve come over all emotional”, we all felt the same.
After the ceremony we all poured out into the cooling evening air with ice creams and drinks on our mind. We sat in the warm sun and reflected upon a great day. Whilst a few of us stayed in the sunshine Lil, Sheila and I went back in to the Pavilion to enjoy the competition – Songs from a Musical or Film and the Richard Burton Prize. We made our choice but again the judges disagreed with us. I guess they can’t get it right all the time
At ten to eight we decided, reluctantly, to call it a day. Eirlys’ battery had run down and the rest of us had to agree that maybe our adventure had come to an end.
We had a super day, lots to do, lots to see, lots to listen to and even more to marvel at. Not all the group understood everything that was said but all shared in the atmosphere and came home with a sense of a good day had by all.
Didn’t we have a lovely day, the day we went to ……… Wrexham. Well actually we did.
and for our Welsh speakers…
Gaswom ni ddiwrnod hyfryd, y diwrnod aethom i ……… Wrecsam. Wel do mewn gwirionedd
Dechreuwyd ein antur gyda llun o’r gr?p. Ond pwy oedd i’w gymeryd? Mi es i i ofn i’r person cyntaf a welais oedd o yn hapus i gymeryd ein llun? Pan droeodd atai mi sylwedolais ei fod yn adnabyddus iawn. Cyn Aelod Seneddol dros Gaernarfon oedd o! A finnau ddim yn cofio ei enw!! Son am wyneb coch! Roedd Dafydd Wigley yn anwyl iawn ac yn llawn maddeuant. Cymerodd lun da ohonnom ar ôl cyflwyniadau ac esboniadau pam roedd dosbarth Cymraeg yn Maghull.
Son am lwc, yn ymyl y mynediad roedd pabell oedd yn cynnig sgwter modur y rhad ac am ddim i bobl anabl. Y perfaith peth i wneud bywyd yn haws i Eirlys. Roedd hi wrth ei bodd yn gyrru o gwmpas y Maes a ninnau yn cael traffeth cadw i fyny hefo hi wrth i ni archwilio’r safle enfawr. Tybed a yw hi’n perthyn i Mike Hazelwood
Eisteddom yn y Pafiliwn i wylio un o’r cystadlaethau cynnar y dydd, Unawd Operatig dros 19 oed. Roedd y perfformiadau yn ardderchog ac roeddem i gyd yn lleisio barn yngl?n phwy ddylai ennill, ond rywsut roedd y beirniaid yn gweld pethau yn wahannol!
Ar ôl cinio ac ymweliad â’r babell gwrw, daeth sesiwn ym Mhabell y Dysgwyr Cymraeg. Amser i wneud dipyn o waith a cael cyfle i weld sut y mae ein dechreuwyr ni’n gwneud i gymharu â’r bobl eraill yno. Afraid dweud eu bod yn wych! Mi aeth Lil a fi allan i chwilio am hufen iâ a cawsom ein temtio i drio sosun sbeislyd gan Albanwr crand yn ei gilt. Roeddent yn flasus ac ynta hefyd. Peidiwch â dweud wrth Bill ond rwy’n credu fod Lil wedi ddal ei lygad!
wrth gerdded o amgylch y Maes dawsom draws Y Tri Tenor Cymraeg yn cynal cyngherdd yn yr awyr agored. Roeddwm i gyd yn teimlo’n eithaf emosiynol wrth ei clywed yn canu “Ar hyd y Nos” a “Dafydd y Garreg Wen”. Cawsom ein plesio gyda’i canu ac ein synnu eu bod yn llwyddo i edrych mor oer ac yn smart yn eu siwtiau ar ddiwrnod mor boeth
Mae cyn gymaint i’w wneud yn maes yr Eisteddfod roedd yn amhosib i wled a phrofi bod dim mewn un diwrnod. Roeddem wedi gobeithio ymweld â’r Pagoda a’r Theatr ond yn rhy fuan roedd yn hen bryd i ni wneud ein ffordd i mewn i’r Prif Bafiliwn i weld cyflwyniad y Fedal Ryddiaith.
Roedd y Paviliwnyn yn llawn a phawb yn gwylio’n astud tra fod yr Arch Dderwydd a Swyddogion Uchel yr Orsedd yn gwneud eu ffordd i’r llyfan. Wedyn ddaeth y beirniaid a rhoi eu dyfarniad ar yr ymgeiswyr. Yn naturiol roedd pob cais yn ddienw, gyd phyg enw yn cael ei ddefnyddio gan bawb oedd wedi cystadlu a pan ddaeth y foment o enwi’r enillydd roedd chwerthin wrth i’r ArchDderwydd alw am i’r gynulleidfa i eistedd ac i “Sitting Bull” sefyll! Roedd y llifoleuadau’n sganio y gynulleidfa a dyna lle roedd yr enillydd yn ei holl ogoniant – Mannon Rhys. Mi aeth Meistres y Gwisgoedd i gwrdd â hi a’i gwisgo cyn ei harwain at y llwyfan. Galwodd y Corn Gwlad i bedwar ban y Pafiliwn ac yn ei dro codom i gyd i sefyll i gyfarch yr enillydd. Roedd y cleddyf fawr uwch ei phen a’r Arch Dderwydd yn gofyn am heddwch. Ar ôl yr alwad y pedwerydd tro gallodd yr enillydd eistedd yn Heddwch yr Eisteddfod. Roedd “Sitting Bull” yn cael eistedd o’r diwedd! Gwelsom Ddawns y Bluen fendigedig lle bu’r plant lleol yn talu eu parch i Enillydd y Fedal Rhyddiaith.
Roedd yn anhygoel o boeth yn y Pafiliwn, ond ni fusai un ohonom wedi colli munud o’r awyrgylch drydanol, roedd yn hud pur. Roedd y gwisgoedd, y seremoni, y ddefod, y dawnsio, yr emosiwn, wedi cydio yno ni gyd, roedd yn wych
Ar ddiwedd y gwasanaeth allan a ni i’r awyr oeri gyda’r nos. Hufen iâ a diodydd oedd ar ein meddwl a cyfle i siarad am ac egluro rhannau o’r seremoni. Er bod rhai ohonom wedi penderfynnu aros yn yr haul cynnes mi aeth Lil, Sheila ac fe yn ôl i’r Pafiliwn i fwynhau cystadleuaeth Caneuon o Sioe Gerdd neu Ffilm a Gwobr Richard Burton. Perfformiadau gwych ac unwaith eto gwneud ein dewis ond bu i’r beirniaid anghytuno hefo ni. Well ni allant ei gael yn iawn drwy’r amser!
Am ddeng munud i wyth penderfynom fod, mwya’r piti, hi’n amser i alw hi’n ddydd. Roedd batri Eirlys wedi rhedeg i lawr a’r gweddill ohonom yn cytuno fod ein antur wedi dod i ben
Roedd llawer i’w wneud, llawer i’w weld, llawer i wrando ar a hyd yn oed mwy i ryfeddu arno. Nid oedd pawb yn y gr?p yn deall popeth a ddywedwyd, ond roedd pawb yn rhannu yn yr awyrgylch ac yn troi am adre yn flinedig ond hapus.
Gaswom ni ddiwrnod da yn Wrecsam ……….. do wir, diwrnod arbennig.
Fantastic, fantastiques, fantastisch …… You can say it in English, French, Dutch or Flemish (if I knew how), but whatever the language, it’s certainly the right word to describe our recent U3A trip to Bruges.
We had it all; great company, great hotel, great food, great weather and the most perfect location. Our journey on the Sunday went like clockwork with no hold ups but with plenty of tea or coffee and the occasional ‘bacon buttie’ courtesy of the amazing Agnes, to keep us going. The crossing was smooth and the duty free very tempting but our thoughts were very firmly focused on what was to come.
Eating out
Canal trip
Bruges was a magical fairyland (especially to those seeing it for the first time), its medieval buildings a pure joy. Its cobbled streets, its nooks and crannies, its meandering canal gave it a charm all of its own. We were guided around the old town sharing its secrets, excited that soon we’d be able to explore for ourselves and delighting in each new vista.
Horse power
We clung on as horse drawn carriages hurtled us around the streets, ducked our heads as we went under the low bridges on the canal and sampled the tempting chocolate or one (or more) of the 400+ beers the town had to offer. We paid homage to Michaelangelo’s Madonna and Child and were impressed by those who braved the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry and envied them the sight of the town from that amazing vantage point. Each corner turned produced yet another ‘wow’ and cameras flashed time and time again.
Bruges at night
Night-time Bruges was even more captivating and to all those who’ve been for the day I urge them to return and wait until the lights come on and reveal that fairyland I mentioned. The cafes and the bars were welcoming, the Flemish stew hit the mark each time and the waiters were ….. let’s say they were game for a laugh!
Further-a-field – some of us experienced the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres and felt the emotional pull as the bugle sounded its poignant farewell echoing under the stone canopy carved with the names of the fallen.
We were impressed by the Mystic Lamb in Ghent Cathedral and it was there that some of us even found the man of our dreams. We enjoyed Belgian waffles in the heart of Brussels knowing full well that we’d pay the price for such sins on our return home. We took in the sights of Brussels in comfort as Alec, as our very able driver, whisked us around to see the Eternal Flame and the restored Atonium.
Our final day took us briefly over the border into Holland where we had time for a coffee and a saunter around the town of Sluis; a place we’ve all put down as being somewhere we’d like re-visit sometime before travelling to Ostend on the Belgian coast.
Sadly all good things come to an end and after a quick paddle in the North Sea and a last banana split at De Panne we headed home. The journey was hassle free and spirits were high even if we were physically flagging as we arrived back safe and sound.
I started with the word fantastic and it’s a good word to end with. Bruges 2011 – fantastic! Jane Jones
We may be one of the smaller groups in the U3A but the Welsh group is certainly a merry little bunch of students. We meet on Thursday mornings and through a variety of mediums we are slowly getting to grips with the Welsh language.
It’s not all nose to the grind stone though, we don’t working through page after page of a bewildering textbook; we play bingo, we have spelling bees, paired dialogues, drama pieces that cause much side splitting and we rise to the challenge of Scrabble played with a Welsh scrabble board! Now that’s guarranteed to blow your mind; who’d guess that the word chwech only contains four letter!!
We’ve said all along that we learn a little and laugh a lot in the Welsh group and if you fancy joining us you’ll find it’s all true ………..
‘Welsh group is like having your own social club’ – Bill Jones
‘It’s brought back memories of my childhood and given me an opportunity to take up the language again. I’m learning new words that’s true but I’m remembering so much more.’- Eirlys Lynes
‘I was a bit uncertain when I started learning Welsh as I’m a complete beginner but the pace has been great for me, and I find the class a lot of fun. When I visit Wales now I really enjoy reading place names, road signs and notices in shops and knowing how to pronounce them – sometimes I even understand what they mean as well!!’ – Jan Halksworth
