The enchanting journey of Pererin Wyf, SPAN Art’s diaspora song mapping project, reached its grand finale at St Davids Cathedral.
Led by Côr Pawb, a vibrant community choir, the celebration event called Pererin Wyf – Y Canu Mawr brought together a multitude of voices for a magnificent a cappella rendition of the Welsh hymn, Pererin Wyf.
The project has been funded by Ancient Connections, a four-year project linking Wexford and Pembrokeshire, funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme.
Pererin Wyf has been led by artist Rowan O’Neill and centred on the hymn composed by William Williams. It aimed to unite the Welsh and Irish diaspora, focusing on the newly established pilgrimage route from Ferns in Wexford to St Davids in Pembrokeshire; the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way.
From last September, people from around the world have been invited to sing and record this soul-stirring hymn, or any song that has the power to call them back home and to pin that recording to an online interactive map. This simple act connects participants from all corners of the globe.
Ever since Welsh singer Iris Williams recorded the hymn to the tune of Amazing Grace in 1971, it has captivated hearts and minds.
The hymn was arranged for the event in St Davids by Côr Pawb’s talented choir leader Molara Awen.
The concert began with a warm welcome from Cathedral Dean Sarah Rowland Jones, followed by speeches from Councillor Thomas Tudor, the Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, and Aidan Brown from Wexford County Council.
The audience was treated to a captivating series of pilgrimage-related songs, leading up to the spine-tingling premiere of a new trilingual macaronic song An Dara Craiceann (The Second Skin), crafted in English, Welsh and Irish by Rachel Uí Fhaoláin as part of the project.
Visitors watched the short film that documented the project’s incredible journey. Created by radio producer Paul Evans and filmmakers Jacob Whittaker and John Ó Fáolain in collaboration with Rowan O’Neill.
The film showcased the voices of those who participated in the project, offering a glimpse into the broader Ancient Connections initiative. This film was presented as part of the Pilgrim Fayre organised by Small World Theatre in the Bishop’s Palace, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.
Over the past nine months, the Pererin Wyf project has included a series of online workshops with world-class speakers exploring the themes of language, identity, travel, and song.
The Pererin Wyf / Is Oilithreach Mé / I am a Pilgrim project was devised, developed and produced by Rowan O’Neill in collaboration with SPAN Arts and co-facilitated in Wexford by Irish artists Rachel Uí Fhaoláin from Ceol Mo Chroí and John Ó Faoláin from the Traditional Archive Channel, and in West Wales by sound artist and film maker Jacob Whittaker. Alan Cameron Wills contributed his expertise in map coding, adding another layer of innovation to the project.
For more information about Pererin Wyf Is Oilithreach Mé I am a pilgrim visit Span Arts www.span-arts.org.uk
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