John Ceiriog Hughes
Encyclopedia
John Ceiriog Hughes was a Welsh
poet and well-known collector of Welsh
folk
tunes. Sometimes referred to as the "Robert Burns
of Wales". Ceiriog was born at Penybryn farm overlooking the village of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
, in the Ceiriog Valley
, which was then in Denbighshire
but today is part of Wrexham County Borough, in north-east Wales
. He worked as a railway clerk in Manchester
and London
and as stationmaster at Llanidloes
. He was employed as a station master
and Manager of the Van Railway
at Caersws railway station
from 1868 until his death in 1887.
did for English poetry. He became famous winning a series of prizes for his poems in the 1850s. His first collection of poetry was published in 1860 and is called Oriau'r Hwyr ("Evening Hours"). As well as writing poetry he wrote many light hearted lyrics which he adapted to old Welsh tunes, or the original music of various composers. Many of his songs were written to folk airs. Ceiriog Hughes' song lyrics include Dafydd y Garreg Wen
("David of the White Rock"). He also wrote the Welsh words to the song, "God Bless the Prince of Wales
" and to the Charles Dibden song, "The Bells of Aberdovey", which he translated as "Clychau Aberdyfi". The Welsh language
version of the song The Ash Grove
is putatively attributed to Ceiriog Hughes. Another source attributes the Welsh words of the song Men of Harlech
, first published in 1890, to him and says that English words were first published in 1893.
– "Ceiriog" – from the River Ceiriog, which flows through the Ceiriog Valley
, where he was born. In his home village, the public hall contains a memorial inscription to him.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
poet and well-known collector of Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
tunes. Sometimes referred to as the "Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
of Wales". Ceiriog was born at Penybryn farm overlooking the village of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog is a village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It lies on the Ceiriog River and is at the end of the B4500 road, five miles south-west of Glyn Ceiriog and ten miles north-west of Oswestry...
, in the Ceiriog Valley
Ceiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
, which was then in Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
but today is part of Wrexham County Borough, in north-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He worked as a railway clerk in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and as stationmaster at Llanidloes
Llanidloes
Llanidloes is a town along the A470 road and B4518 road in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire , Mid Wales.It is the first town on the River Severn...
. He was employed as a station master
Station master
The station master was the person in charge of railway stations, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, before the modern age. He would manage the other station employees and would have responsibility for safety and the efficient running of the station...
and Manager of the Van Railway
Van Railway
The Van Railway was a standard gauge railway in mid Wales. The line was built in 1871 to link the highly productive lead mines at Van, near Llanidloes to the main Cambrian line at Caersws. The mines closed in 1920, but the railway remained open until 1940....
at Caersws railway station
Caersws railway station
Caersws railway station is a railway station on the Cambrian Line in mid-Wales, serving the village of Caersws. Trains call here once in every two hours and there is only a minimal Sunday service, but two extra Sunday trains are planned for summer evenings after 2009.The notable Welsh romantic poet...
from 1868 until his death in 1887.
Poetry
Through his desire to restore simplicity of diction and emotional sincerity, he did for Welsh poetry what Wordsworth and ColeridgeSamuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, Romantic, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla...
did for English poetry. He became famous winning a series of prizes for his poems in the 1850s. His first collection of poetry was published in 1860 and is called Oriau'r Hwyr ("Evening Hours"). As well as writing poetry he wrote many light hearted lyrics which he adapted to old Welsh tunes, or the original music of various composers. Many of his songs were written to folk airs. Ceiriog Hughes' song lyrics include Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen is a traditional Welsh air and folk song.David Owen, the famous blind harper and composer, lived near Porthmadog in Caernarfonshire, Wales in the first half of the 18th century, who was known locally as Dafydd y Garreg Wen,...
("David of the White Rock"). He also wrote the Welsh words to the song, "God Bless the Prince of Wales
God Bless the Prince of Wales
"God Bless the Prince of Wales" is a patriotic song written to mark the occasion of the marriage of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom to Alexandra of Denmark.The song was first proposed at the Caernarfon Eisteddfod of 1862...
" and to the Charles Dibden song, "The Bells of Aberdovey", which he translated as "Clychau Aberdyfi". The Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
version of the song The Ash Grove
The Ash Grove
The Ash Grove is a traditional Welsh folk song whose melody has been set to numerous sets of lyrics. The most well-known was written, in English, by John Oxenford in the 19th century....
is putatively attributed to Ceiriog Hughes. Another source attributes the Welsh words of the song Men of Harlech
Men of Harlech
"Men of Harlech" or "The March of the Men of Harlech" is a song and military march which is traditionally said to describe events during the seven year long siege of Harlech Castle between 1461 and 1468. Commanded by Constable Dafydd ap Ieuan, the garrison held out in what is the longest known...
, first published in 1890, to him and says that English words were first published in 1893.
Musicologist
His fascination with Welsh folk music led to an investigation of the history of the music and particularly the harpists who would often accompany then. This led to a grand project to publish four volumes of Welsh airs, of which only the first volume actually made it to press in 1863: Cant O Ganeuon ("A Hundred Songs").Bardic Name
Like many Welsh poets, he took a bardic nameBardic name
A bardic name is a pseudonym, used in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement....
– "Ceiriog" – from the River Ceiriog, which flows through the Ceiriog Valley
Ceiriog Valley
The Ceiriog Valley or Dyffryn Ceiriog is the valley of the River Ceiriog in north-east Wales. It is also the name of a ward of the County Borough of Wrexham Until 1974 the valley was part of the traditional county of Denbighshire; then it became part of the short-lived county of Clwyd, which was...
, where he was born. In his home village, the public hall contains a memorial inscription to him.