Last year, the inaugural SSiW online eisteddfod was held with various categories of prose, poetry, singing, recitation, story telling and visual arts. We had some great entries, a variety of prizes plus t-shirts for the winners with a beautiful artistic design.
Very soon we'll be announcing this year's eisteddfod! The gorsedd are making plans, the categories are being finalised, and sponsors are being sought.
Watch this space for all the latest news and get ready to join in the fun. There will be something for everyone, and with the closing date for entries not until late October, plenty of time to come up with some superb entries!
Submissions accepted: from October 10th to October 31st 2011
Available Categories
Welsh language prose
Introductory - prose entries of up to 100 words for people who are doing Course 1, on the topic "Cyfeillgarwch" (Friendship)
Intermediate - prose entries of up to 500 words, open to everyone, on the topic "Breuddwydio yn Gymraeg" (Dreaming in Welsh)
English language prose
Prose entries of a maximum of 1000 words on the topic "Why Welsh is Important to me" written in English.
Welsh language poetry
Short poem - max 20 lines, free verse, on the topic "Yr Hen Gi/Gath"
Photography
A photograph on a Welsh theme
Visual art
Drawing, painting, electronic art, poster, on a Welsh theme
Recitation
Recitation of a set poem "Yr Haf" by Dafydd ap Gwilym
You can find the poem here: http://www.dafyddapgwilym.net/eng/3win.htm It's Number 34 in the dropdown list. Once you've selected the poem, the words appear on the left of the screen. You then click on 'Audio' in the list of links below to get the mp3 file. You can print out the words and download the audio file, so you can practise at any time without needed to have your computer on. You can also click on 'English Translation' to get more of an idea what the poem is all about, so you can really recite it with feeling!
Storytelling
SSiW Introductory. Audio/Video, maximum 3 minutes, telling a short story in Welsh using only the vocabulary and structures of Course 1 (with the addition of 1 noun + 1 verb + 1 adjective of author's choice).
SSiW Intermediate. Audio/Video, maximum 3 minutes, telling a short story in Welsh using only the vocabulary and structures of Course 1 and Course 2 (with the addition of 2 nouns + 2 verbs + 2 adjectives of author's choice).
Film
Short film promoting SSiW in English - the more humorous the better - to be posted on youtube. (Prize: a hamper of Welsh goodies donated by Aran and Catrin)
Singing
Your version, accompanied or unaccompanied, of Ar Lan y Môr
There are numerous versions of this on YouTube, but Elin Fflur provides one clear version here:
The lyrics are below the music video on the YouTube website, but just watch out for the typo in the first line - it should be 'rhosys cochion' not 'rhosys chochion'
ENTRIES: The SSiW Eisteddfod is open to everyone, SSiW member or not. However, there is a limit of ONE entry per category per person. Entries will be submitted to the Submissions officer, Dafyddyfelin, who will publish them in the correct thread. (More on how to do this later when he gets back from Bootcamp)
VOTING: The winners will be decided by popular vote through a system of Online Polling threads. These will be created once the deadline for entries has passed and full instructions on how to vote will be given.
TITLES: Please give your work a title. This is very important because when the voting starts, it is handy for people to know what they're voting for. If you do not provide a title, your work will simply be named "Untitled".
BE TIMELY: The dates and times for submitting entries will be adhered to completely.
ORIGINAL MATERIAL: With the exception of the Recitation category, all entries must be original material, which means they must have been written, photographed, drawn, painted or created by the entrant.
PRIZES: Are still in the process of being arranged and will be announced as they become available. Details on how to claim a prize will be given to the winner after the results are announced. You will be entitled to use a specially designed icon to go in your signature on the SSiW Forum. The winner in each category will also receive a limited edition T-shirt - carrying on the tradition we started last year. (A picture of the design will be uploaded once it's available)
HAVE FUN: Yes, it's a bit of a competition, but the main aim is to enjoy using your Welsh in an imaginative way. FFUGENWAU / ANONYMOUS ENTRIES: Part of the fun of the Eisteddfod is the use of ffugenwau, or pseudonyms, for the entrants. To preserve this tradition, when you submit your entry you will need to state the Ffugenw by which you wish to be known. The submissions officer will keep a record of the names and their “owners”. The use of ffugenwau will be dealt with on a first come first served basis and will be valid only for the current edition of the SSiW Eisteddfod.
QUESTIONS? Just post in the thread for Eisteddfod Questions
SSiW Logo : Our fabulous logo (see attached) was designed by Lisa, from Minnesota, Unol Daleithiau America, (otherwise known as kingskidgirl on the forum).
Attachments
SSiW.eisteddfod.logo2011.jpg (595.63 KiB) Viewed 4866 times
Fantastic - it's Eisteddfod time again! Come on people, get out your pens, voices and put on your creative hats!!
Cymru am byth! I'm doing the Northern Course. But Iestyn, Cat, Ioan and Emrys teach me Southernisms as well, but so far Gwenllian has only taught me to gurgle in Welsh!
Well, by popular demand (and with humble apologies for the oversight ), the Singing Category has taken its rightful place in the schedule of Eisteddfod events.
I've added it to the Categories above - and I look forward to hearing lots of different interpretations of Ar Lan y Môr warbling out across the internet in the very near future.
by Dee » Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:15 pm 
Come on people, get out your pens, voices and put on your creative hats!! 
), the Singing Category has taken its rightful place in the schedule of Eisteddfod events.