The Dafydd ap Gwilym Society is the Welsh society at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. It is a Welsh language society, as opposed to a society of Welsh people like its sister-society in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

, the .

History

The society was established in 1886, making it the oldest society in Oxford after the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

. It is known by its members as "Y Dafydd". In the 1990s, several of the society's magazine editions (''Yr Aradr''), feature articles on the creative work of its members, as well as some of its guest speakers. Among its founding members were O. M. Edwards and

John Morris-Jones Sir John Morris-Jones (17 October 1864 – 16 April 1929) was a Welsh grammarian, academic and Welsh-language poet. Morris-Jones was born John Jones, at Trefor in the parish of Llandrygarn, Anglesey the son of Morris Jones first a schoolmaster ...

. The society began accepting female members in the academic year 1966–1967.

Traditions

The society is named after the poet

Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Gwilym ( 1315/1320 – 1350/1370) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Life R. Geraint Gruffydd suggests 1315- 1350 as the poet's dates; others place him a little ...

, and it was the tradition for every meeting to begin with a reading of his work by the Chaplain, followed by discussion. The Society had some formal rituals and prestigious-sounding positions, though they were intended to be ironic. Today the chairman keeps the title of Chaplain, and the prestigious job of Headquarters remains. It is traditional for members and alumni of the society to meet annually at the National Eisteddfod.

Caplaniaid of Y Dafydd

Presidents

Some former-Fellows of the University who have served, or now serve as honorary presidents of the society: * Sir John Rhys (1886–1919) *

Goronwy Edwards Sir John Goronwy Edwards (14 May 1891 – 20 June 1976) was a Welsh historian. Early life Edwards, who was proficient in Welsh before he could read English, was educated at Holywell Grammar School before matriculating at Jesus College, Ox ...

, (1919–1948) * Sir Idris Foster, (1948–1978) * Sir Rees Davies *

Robert Evans Robert Evans (born Robert J. Shapera; June 29, 1930October 26, 2019) was an American film producer, studio executive, and actor, best known for his work on '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), ''Love Story'' (1970), ''The Godfather'' (1972), and ''Chi ...

Rosalind Temple Rosalind or Rosalinde is a girls' name derived from the Germanic ''hros'', which meant horse, and ''lind'' which meant ''soft'' or ''tender'': People *Rosalind Ashford (born 1943), American singer, member of Martha and the Vandellas * Rosalind B ...

* David Willis

Alumni of the Society

* O. M. Edwards – educationalist and writer *

Ifan ab Owen Edwards Sir Ifan ab Owen Edwards (25 July 1895 – 23 January 1970) was a Welsh academic, writer and film-maker, best known as the founder of Urdd Gobaith Cymru, the Welsh League of Youth. He was born at Tremaran, Llanuwchllyn, Merionethshire, the ...

– founder of the Urdd * Elin Roberts - founder o
Better Nature Tempeh
*

Gwynfor Evans Gwynfor Richard Evans (1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. He was President of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru for thirty-six years and was the first Member of Parliament to represent it at Westmi ...

– politician * - lexicographer * W. J. Gruffydd – scholar and politician *

Guto Harri Guto Harri (; born 8 July 1966) is a Welsh broadcaster, writer and strategic communications consultant. He most recently served as Downing Street Director of Communications, having been appointed by Boris Johnson in February 2022. Harri spent ...

– newsreader *

R. Tudur Jones Robert Tudur Jones (28 June 1921 – 23 July 1998), better known as R. Tudur Jones, was a Welsh nationalist and one of the country's leading theologians. His nationalistic stance, combined with Calvinist doctrine, created an integrated vision tha ...

– scholar * – theologian *

Rhodri Morgan Hywel Rhodri Morgan (29 September 1939 – 17 May 2017) was a Welsh Labour politician who was the First Minister of Wales and the Leader of Welsh Labour from 2000 to 2009. He was also the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011 and ...

– politician *

– writer * Huw Thomas (Welsh politician) – Leader of Cardiff Council * D. J. Williams – writer and nationalist * Gwilym Owen Williams – archbishop * J. E. Meredith – writer and minister *

Ben Lake Ben Morgan Lake (born 22 January 1993) is a Plaid Cymru politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ceredigion since 2017. Background Lake was born and brought up in Lampeter, the son of a police officer and a council worker. He at ...

–

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

MP for

Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...

* Delyth Jewell –

Member of the Senedd for South Wales East region, 2019- * Rhys ab Owen -

Member of the Senedd for

South Wales Central South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

, 2021-

References

{{reflist

External links

* https://www.oxfordsu.org/societies/cymdeithasydafydd/
Merched Dafydd
Clubs and societies of the University of Oxford Welsh culture Welsh society