Goursez Vreizh (officially Breudeuriezh Drouized, Barzhed hag Ovizion Breizh) is the national gorsedd of

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

("Breizh" in Breton). It often has delegates from the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

gorsedd and

Gorsedh Kernow Gorsedh Kernow (Cornish Gorsedd) is a non-political Cornish organisation, based in Cornwall, United Kingdom, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall. It is based on the Welsh-based Gorsedd, which was founded by Iolo Mo ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

. The Breton organisation is itself based on the Welsh-based Gorsedd, which was founded by

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclop ...

in 1792.

History

Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué (1815-1895) was the first Breton to be made an initiate by the Gorsedd of Wales. He took the bardic name Hersart Kervarker. He created a "Fraternity of the Bards of Brittany" (Breuriez Breiz) but this did not lead to the creation of a Gorsedd. * 1838: La Villemarqué, Auguste Brizeux and

Jean-François Le Gonidec Jean François Marie Le Gonidec de Kerdaniel (Breton: Yann-Frañsez ar Gonideg) (4 September 1775 – 12 October 1838) was a Breton grammarian who codified the Breton language. He played an important role in the history of his native language by ...

are adopted as honorary members of the ''Cymdeithas Cymreigyddion y Fenny'' (Abergavenny Celtic Union). * 1843 (or possibly 1857, evidence is unclear): La Villemarqué founds the ''Breuriez-Breiz'' (Breton Brotherhood), whose activity is restricted to arts and linguistics, is founded. * 1867: A small Welsh delegation goes to the international

Celtic Congress The International Celtic Congress ( br, Ar C'hendalc'h Keltiek, kw, An Guntelles Keltek, gv, Yn Cohaglym Celtiagh, gd, A' Chòmhdhail Cheilteach, ga, An Chomhdháil Cheilteach, cy, Y Gyngres Geltaidd) is a cultural organisation that seeks to ...

. * August 16, 1898: The

Breton Regionalist Union The Breton regionalist union (Union Régionaliste Bretonne or URB) was a Breton cultural and political organisation created August 16, 1898. It was a broadly conservative grouping dedicated to preserving Breton cultural identity and regional indep ...

is founded. * 1899: A Breton delegation of twenty people is received at the Gorsedd of Wales in order to constitute the core of a Breton group. The Breton guests are made

ovates In modern English, the nouns vates () and ovate (, ), are used as technical terms for ancient Celtic bards, prophets and philosophers. The terms correspond to a Proto-Celtic word which can be reconstructed as *''wātis''.Bernhard Maier, ''Dictio ...

, but not fully initiated. This year is regarded as the founding year of the Goursez. * September 1, 1900: The new constitutive assembly meets in an inn at

Guingamp Guingamp (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 6,895 as of 2017, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Gui ...

. Jean Le Fustec (with the bardic name Yann ab Gwilherm; later Lemenik) becomes the first Grand Druid of the "Gorsedd of Lesser Britain". * November 23, 1908: The ''Gorsedd Barzed Gourenez Breiz Izel'' (Gorsedd of the Bards of the Peninsula of Brittany) is officially proclaimed. * 1936: A split in the Goursez causes the formation of the explicitly neo-pagan

Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel Kredenn Geltiek (Celtic Creed) is a neo-Pagan Druidic group founded in Brittany in 1936. It was later known as Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel (Celtic Creed of the World). It now exists under the name Kevanvod Tud Donn (Parliament of people of Dêua A ...

.{{Cite web, url=http://www.angelfire.com/folk/boutios/histoirekg.html, title=Histoire de la Kredenn Geltiek, website=www.angelfire.com, access-date=2020-04-23

Grand Druids

Jean Le Fustec Jean Le Fustec (10 May 1855, in Rostrenen – 22 March 1910, in Paris) was a Breton bard, and the first Archdruid of the Goursez Vreizh (Gorsedd of Brittany). He is also known by his Breton language name Yann ab Gwilherm and his Druidic name Lemeni ...

from 1900 to 1903. *

Erwan Berthou Erwan Berthou (4 September 1861 – 30 January 1933) was a French and Breton language poet, writer and neo-Druidic bard. His name is also spelled Erwan Bertou and Yves Berthou. He was born in Pleubian, Côtes-d'Armor. He studied at the small sem ...

(also known as Kaledvoulc'h) from 1904 to 1932. *

François Taldir-Jaffrennou François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King o ...

from 1933 to 1955. * Pêr Loisel-Eostig Sarzhaw from 1956 to 1980. * Gwenc'hlan Le Scouëzec from 1981 to 2008. *

Per Vari Kerloc'h Per Vari Kerloc'h (born 1952) is the current Grand Druid of the '' Goursez Breizh'' (founded in 1899). He was born at Douarnenez, in the western part of Brittany. The Grand Druid is appointed for life (Kerloc'h succeeded his predecessor Gwenc'hlan ...

from 2008.

Gallery

Image:PhotoGorsedd.jpg, Assembly of druids of the Gorsedd, 1906 Image:Bardes Gouarec.jpg, Bards of the Gorsedd singing ''Bro goz ma Zadou'', 1907 Image:GorseddDigorHanvec1.jpg, Centenary celebration of the Gorsedd, 1999 Image:Le Scouezec.jpg, Grand Druid Gwenc'hlan Le Scouëzec, 2007

References

External links

Breton Gorseth 2002
Breton language Breton mythology and folklore Breizh Inter-Celtic organisations Poetry organizations