Special St Collen's service celebrates 2026 Eisteddfod

* German choir Mannerchor Germania Freiendiez sing at St Collen's Eisteddfod service.

St Collen's Church hosted its traditional service to mark the close of the 2026 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod this morning (Sunday).

Officials and volunteers from this year's successful festival were in the congregation for the With One Voice gathering.

After the stirring opening hymn of the Old Hundredth to acknowledge the multi-national flavour of the Eisteddfod, there was a welcome from priest-in-charge Father Lee Taylor before the first reading was delivered by festival chairman John Gambles. A further reading came later from Gethin Davies, a former chairman.

The service was uplifted by contributions from two of the choirs appearing at the Eisteddfod this week.

First to sing was Haaslava Meeskoor from Estonia, one of the country's long-established community male voice choirs whose set included a rendition, in the Welsh language, of Calon Lan.

Following a further hymn, Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, again a nod to the Eisteddfod, there came a performance from Mannerchor Germania Freiendiez from Germany, one of the country's oldest continuously active male voice choirs.   

Between the two choral interludes was a piece from local poet Gareth Culshaw entitled New People Bring Us Light written specially for Eisteddfod week and featuring vivid imagery of Llangollen.

Intercessions were led by the newly-ordained Dyfan Parry.

The theme of Father Lee's address from the pulpit was how music connects people and communities.

* Haaslava Meeskoor from Estonia sang Calon Lan in Welsh.

* Father Lee Taylor gives his address during the service. 

* Intercessions are led by ordinant Dyfan Parry.

* Local poet Gareth Culshaw reads his New People Bring Us Light. 

* St Collen's currently has an urgent appeal to raise funds for the conservation of its internationally-renowned medieval hammerbeam roof.

Despite being acknowledged as a masterpiece of Welsh craftsmanship it faces critical decay and risks being lost without immediate action, say experts. Supporters can donate through Just Giving - see the St Collen's website under Genesis Project.