Meirion Pennar
Encyclopedia
Dr Meirion Pennar was a Welsh
poet
and academic, who translated two works of Welsh language
literature.
. Brought up in Bangor
, Brecon
and Swansea
, he graduated with an honours degree in Welsh from Swansea University
, and was then a research student at Jesus College, Oxford
, where he gained his Phd.
from 1975. It was here that he specialised in medieval Welsh poetry and the Welsh novel in the 19th Century, completing his translations of Book of Taliesin
poems and The Black Book of Carmarthen, both of which remain in print. He also published two volumes of poetry, Syndod y Sêr and Pair Dadeni, and two long poems, Saga and Y Gadwyn. He resigned his position at Lampter in 1993.
A language and political campaigner in the 1970s with the Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Society), he became a political columnist with Y Ddraig Goch
, and was a parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru
in the Swansea West
constituency.
, Adpar
, and Newcastle Emlyn
, during which period he had a son. He returned in 2000 to Swansea to care for his ageing mother and younger brother, Geraint. It was here on died on 17 December, 2010.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and academic, who translated two works of 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...
literature.
Early life
Born in Cardiff, he was the eldest of five children born to theologian and writer, Dr Pennar DaviesPennar Davies
William Thomas Pennar Davies was a Welsh clergyman and author.Born simply William Thomas Davies, in Mountain Ash , the son of a miner, he took the name "Pennar" "as a sign of his identification with the native culture of Wales"...
. Brought up in Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
and Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, he graduated with an honours degree in Welsh from Swansea University
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, and was then a research student at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, where he gained his Phd.
Career
Pennar became a lecturer in Welsh in Dublin, and was then appointed lecturer in the Welsh Department, University of Wales, LampeterUniversity of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
from 1975. It was here that he specialised in medieval Welsh poetry and the Welsh novel in the 19th Century, completing his translations of Book of Taliesin
Book of Taliesin
The Book of Taliesin is one of the most famous of Middle Welsh manuscripts, dating from the first half of the 14th century though many of the fifty-six poems it preserves are taken to originate in the 10th century. The manuscript, known as Peniarth MS 2 and kept at the National Library of Wales,...
poems and The Black Book of Carmarthen, both of which remain in print. He also published two volumes of poetry, Syndod y Sêr and Pair Dadeni, and two long poems, Saga and Y Gadwyn. He resigned his position at Lampter in 1993.
A language and political campaigner in the 1970s with the Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Society), he became a political columnist with Y Ddraig Goch
Y Ddraig Goch
The Welsh Dragon appears on the national flag of Wales . The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 820, but it is popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders...
, and was a parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
in the Swansea West
Swansea West (UK Parliament constituency)
Swansea West is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency.
Personal life
Pennar lived in LlandysulLlandysul
Llandysul is a small town in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. The community of Pont Tyweli lies directly across the Teifi River in Carmarthenshire. It is in the valley of the River Teifi and is visited for its fishing and canoeing....
, Adpar
Adpar
Adpar, formerly Trefhedyn, is a village in Ceredigion, Wales now considered as a part of Newcastle Emlyn to which it is joined by a fine bridge across the River Teifi. Adpar used to be an ancient Welsh borough in its own right.-History:...
, and Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn is a town straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in west Wales and lying on the River Teifi.Adpar is the part of the town that lies on the Ceredigion side of the River Teifi...
, during which period he had a son. He returned in 2000 to Swansea to care for his ageing mother and younger brother, Geraint. It was here on died on 17 December, 2010.