ST DAVID’S WEEK SUCCESS

Carmarthen Welsh Week has been hailed as a success.

The Week was launched on Saturday February 27 with West Wales’ first St. David’s Parade.

The colourful and musical parade was supported by the Welsh Government via the Town Centre Partnership programme, and launched a week of events to celebrate all that’s Welsh in Wales’ oldest town.

The parade was led by the Llanelli, Wales and British Lion rugby legend Delme Thomas, and was organised by Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths with Carmarthenshire County Council and Carmarthen Town Council.

There were performances from Carmarthen Male Voice Choir, Carmarthen Symphonic wind Band and Crwbin Brass Band beforehand at Carmarthen Park and afterwards at St. Peters Church.

Activities continued into the afternoon at Yr Atom the Welsh Language centre on King Street, where Ysgol Berfformio Dyffryn Tywi and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin entertained the crowd and actor Danny Grehan got in to character as Henry Tudor for a Welsh History Children’s performance.

The Week has been credited with boosting the profile of Carmarthen with increased footfall in the town centre and around Guildhall Square for the food market. Coleg Sir Gâr’s pop-up gallery in St Catherine’s Walk proved very popular.

Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths said: “The numbers that came along to the Parade on the first day were beyond all expectations. It was a really memorable day. There were wonderful events throughout the week.

“I took part in the Cawl Crawl and was a member of the winning Y Priordy team in Talwrn y Beirdd! It was an excellent night. The Week was magnificent from beginning to end.”

He said that the parade should become an annual event and that detailed planning would be needed for 2017 given that so many people attended this year’s events.