Richard Bryn Williams, or Bryn Williams (1902–1981), was a
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 peopl ...
-
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
writer, poet, playwright and historian. From 1975 to 1978 he was
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Biography
Williams was born in
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, Wales. Once a slate mining centre in historic Merionethshire, it now relies much on tourists, drawn for instance to the Ffestiniog Railway and Llechwedd Slate Caverns. It reached a population of 12,00 ...
,
Gwynedd
Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...
,
Wales. When he was seven years old, his family moved to
Trelew,
Chubut Chubut may refer to:
* Chubut Province, Argentina
* Chubut River in the Chubut Province
* Chubut steamer duck
The Chubut steamer duck or white-headed flightless steamer duck (''Tachyeres leucocephalus'') is a flightless duck endemic to Argenti ...
,
Patagonia,
Argentina. He returned to Wales in 1923 and studied at the University College of North Wales (now
Bangor University
, former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007)
, image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg
, image_size = 250px
, caption = Arms
...
). He became an expert on Patagonian history and was a major contributor to the province's literature.
[
He was a supporter of the ]National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...
, as well as competing in the cultural festival itself, and won the chair both in 1964 and 1968, and from 1975 to 1978 he was archdruid, using the bardic name ''Bryn''.
Literary work
;Children's books
*''Straeon Patagonia'' (Tales of Patagonia) (1944)
*''Y March Coch'' (The Red Steed) (1954)
*''Bandit yr Andes'' (The Andean Bandit) (1956)
*''Croesi'r Paith'' (Crossing the Steppe) (1958)
*''Yn Nwylo'r Eirth'' (In the Hands of Bears) (1967)
*''Y Rebel'' (The Rebel) (1969)
*''Agar'' (1973)
*''Y Gwylliaid'' (The Bandits) (1976)
;Poetry
*''Pentewynion'' (Brands) (1949)
*''Patagonia'' (1965)
*''O'r Tir Pell'' (From the Far Land) (1972)
;Plays
*''Pedrito'' (1947)
*''Cariad Creulon'' (Cruel Love) (1970)
*''Dafydd Dywysog'' (Prince David) (1975)
;Histories, studies and other books
*''Cymry Patagonia'' (The Welsh of Patagonia) (1942)
*'' Eluned Morgan: bywgraffiad a detholiad'' (Eluned Morgan: Biography and selection) (1945)
*''Y Wladfa'' (The Colony) (1962)
*''Gwladfa Patagonia 1865–1965'' (The Colony of Patagonia) (1965)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Richard Bryn
1902 births
1981 deaths
People from Blaenau Ffestiniog
Welsh Eisteddfod archdruids
Welsh emigrants to Argentina
Welsh-speaking academics
Welsh-language poets
20th-century Welsh historians
Argentine male writers
Welsh-language writers
Welsh children's writers
People from Merionethshire
20th-century Welsh poets
20th-century Welsh dramatists and playwrights
Welsh male poets
British male dramatists and playwrights
20th-century British male writers