A day of colourful choral action on Eisteddfod's sizzling third day

* Brymbo Male Voice Choir on the Music Stage Saturday afternoon.

It was a melodic day of choirs both on and off the field on the third day of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (Saturday). 

Action started early on the main Pavilion stage where three ensembles competed for the final of the Female Voice crown.

* Above, Belcanto from Kettering compete in the Female Voice Choir competition in the Pavilion. Below first, in the same competition, were Chanteuse Chamber Choir from Stafford and, below second, Peterborough Voices.  

Across the other side of the field on the Music Stage, the red-coated Brymbo Male Voice was going through its intricate vocal paces. 

Then over at St Collen's Church it was time for the latest lunchtime recital. 

First up was the sweet-voiced St Agnes Choir from Cornwall followed by the 2019 winners of the Eisteddfod's coveted Choir of the World title, John's Boys from Rhos.

* St Agnes Choir from Cornwall in the lunchtime recital at St Collen's.

* John's Boys Choir also sang in St Collen's.

Members of the audience heading back towards the field had the opportunity to stop off in Centenary Square to listen to the Bostock Singers from just across the English border in Northwich.

Later in the afternoon they could return to the square, with its packed streetside audience, to take in some songs from the New Dublin Voices from Ireland.

* The Bostock Choir from Northwich sing in Centenary Square.

* The New Dublin Voices choir perform in the square.

But the day wasn't just about dancing because at various locations people could take in some dance highly colourful routines from across the world, including that performed by street dancers from Kurdistan in Centenary Square.

* Kurdistan street dancers from London delight crowds in the square.

The action continues throughout the afternoon and the day culminates with the Saturday evening concert in the Pavilion, Choir of the World - both the competition of that name and some demonstrations by the winners of various singing and dancing competitions held over the past three days. This starts at 7.30pm.  

* Eisteddfod action at the sun helped make Castle Street busier than it's been for years.

llanblogger celebrates 10th anniversary ... and millions of hits

Today llanblogger is celebrating its 10^th birthday.

And as founder and editor I would like to say thanks a million to all our readers for their support – or, to be more accurate, over 2.7 million because that’s the total number of hits which Llangollen’s own news blog has attracted since it was first published – free of charge - on July 9, 2012.

Our opening story was about the canal being blocked by a fallen tree and since that humble beginning, which was seen by just a few score of people, readership has grown to an army of regulars who make around 30,000 visits to the site every month.

Over the past decade llanblogger, with a total of over 7,000 stories, has covered everything from tragedies such as fatal fires and road accidents to key developments like the opening of our local superstores and the re-shaping of the town centre.

Another regular on the blog has been our local heritage railway, particularly its recent and incredible fightback from the double-blow of receivership and the pandemic.  

The blog has also been delighted to publish news from the Eisteddfod and regular reviews of local stage shows.

More seriously, llanblogger prided itself on the way it gave daily in-depth coverage to the pandemic, publishing an average of half a dozen stories on the topic every day for weeks on end.

There have also been political stories from how the workings of the town and county councils and of our MPs and Senedd Members affect local people to coverage of a couple of General Elections.

All these stories attract large numbers of hits on the blog but what attract the largest readership are stories about ordinary local people often doing extraordinary things.

Along the way, the blog has won its fair share of praise and its high-point came in 2019 when we were delighted to be presented with a Mayor’s Civic Award for our efforts on behalf of the community.  

After passing the 10-year milestone we intend to keep on bringing you the news of views of Llangollen and its people.

So llanblogger would be delighted if you’d keep on reading as we enter our second decade.        

Thanks again,

Phil Robinson

Summer of fun returns for children and young people

A Summer of Fun is returning for children and young people in the county.

Denbighshire County Council is once again providing a range of free sporting, cultural and play based bilingual activities as part of the Welsh Government’s Summer of Fun project.

Events are taking place across the county until September 30.

Cllr Gill German, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education, Children and Families, said: “We are pleased to be once again supporting this great project and offering a fantastic bilingual programme of events in Denbighshire. The Council is working with a number of partners on this project and I would like to thank all those involved.

“These free activities will certainly give our children and young people something to look forward to during the summer holidays and also help support their social, emotional, physical and mental wellbeing.

“I would encourage parents to have a look at the events on offer to help their children enjoy the best possible summer this year.”

Events and activities are being arranged for children and young people aged 0 to 25.

They are designed to support children and young people to express themselves through play, offer community based interactive, creative and play-based initiatives for all ages and provide opportunities to play with friends and peers.

* To book onto one of the events or activities visit: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/summer-of-fun-2022/summer-of-fun.aspx

Eisteddfod enjoys a packed second day

* The Choir of E.Mikeladze Central Music School from Georgia sings at St Collen's. 

It was another packed day of activities, both on and off the field, as the second day of the 75th anniversary Eisteddfod got under way today (Friday).

Around lunchtime St Collen's Church was once again the perfect setting for a performance by international competitors - this time the Choir of E.Mikeladze Central Music School from Georgia whose young members showcased a selection of their soulful and moving numbers. 

Up on the field early in the afternoon there was a wholly different act going through his crazy paces on the outdoor Music Stage.

* Bill Brookman gives a new meaning to the word 'hotpants' on the Music Stage.

Entertainer Bill Brookman gave the sun-drenched audience a selection of mad-capped routines ranging from stilt walking to fire eating - as a finale sticking a lighted torch down the front of his pants.

Old friends from the Eisteddfod parade, drum band Karamba Samba, were out in front of the Pavilion drumming up plenty of interest from onlookers as they basked in the late afternoon sun.    

* The Karamba Samba Band play on the field.

Meanwhile, back in the town centre Centenary Square played host to a variety of acts, including a group of musicians from India who are appearing in the Eisteddfod despite problems with obtaining visas.  

Throughout the day a series of competition preliminary rounds of various competitions continued to be  held in the town with their respective finals being played out on the main Pavilion stage.

* Indian musicians play on Centenary Square.

Today's evening concert in the Pavilion is headlined by world-famous sitar star Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar, and also featuring Austrian percussionist, composer, Hang-player and Björk collaborator Manu Delago and the strings of the Britten Sinfonia.    

* Anoushka Shankar headlines tonight's concert.

* For more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts as well as how to get to it and where to stay go to http://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/ or check out https://www.facebook.com/llangollen

Melodic duo get Eisteddfod concerts back on song

* On stage: Aled Jones and Russell Watson.

Two of Britain’s finest voices combined in perfect harmony to get Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s legendary evening concerts back on song after a couple of years’ pandemic break.

From the moment they bounded on to the famous Pavilion stage Aled Jones and Russell Watson were in superb form, teaming up for numbers as diverse and powerful as the sweet hymn May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You before splitting up for solos like Watson’s breathtaking O Sole Mio.

The Great American Songbook was an obvious choice for them to both to deliver a sizzling Night and Day and a stirring Shenandoha.

We stayed in the same spine-tingling vein for a medley of Where Have All the Flowers Gone and Here’s to the Heroes.

Talking about heroes it was then time to head into a gripping Impossible Dream which ended the first half.

Watson’s impeccably Neapolitan Funiculi Funicula brought us back into the second half of the packed programme and we remained in the Med for Volare which saw the duo having fun with the packed audience as they tested out our own singing skills.

A real novelty was to see Jones dueting with himself as he sung along with a 1980s film of the boy Aled sweetly performing Pia Jesu.

After a couple of blissful hours things were wound up very appropriately for the venue as they left us  with a memorable Calon Lan.

An already brilliant evening had started off with Terry Waite, who had been the Eisteddfod’s much-loved president for 15 years bidding the fond public farewell he had been unable to do since leaving the role in 2020 due to the pandemic.

He was on stage to be presented with a commemorative award by Eisteddfod chairman Dr Rhys Davies who is himself relinquishing his role this year.

* Dr Rhys Davies with former president Terry Waite.

County's Town Trails being updated

* Llangollen's Town Trail is being updated.

Denbighshire County Council’s Tourism Team has been updating their suite of Town Trails which aim to inspire visitors and local people to explore towns in Denbighshire.

Recently the Llangollen and Ruthin editions have been updated to highlight recent changes to the towns including highlighting the new nature reserve in Wenffrwd, Llangollen.

The Corwen edition is the next Town Trail to be updated to help promote the new railway platform for Llangollen Railway's Corwen Station and the great efforts of the volunteers in the Corwen Museum.

Councillor Win Mullen James, Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “The Town Trails are a great way to explore the fantastic towns in our County as they have been carefully organised to show off the best areas and provide interesting information to visitors and local people.”

“We are so lucky to live in an area which provides rich history and picturesque scenery and this is a great way to encourage people to get out and enjoy the fresh air.”

“I am looking forward to people experiencing the new audio feature being piloted in Rhyl as I think this new modern addition will attract a wider audience of people to the trails”

The Audio walk is available via the https://www.izi.travel/ and promoted on the town trail boards. If successful, the council is hoping to replicate the same audio trail for other Denbighshire towns in the future.

MP says he is 'sorry to hear' about Boris Johnson's resignation

Welsh Conservative MP for Clwyd South Simon Baynes (pictured) has issued a statement this afternoon following today's resignation of Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party, while remaining Prime Minister until a new leader is elected by the party.

In it Mr Baynes says:  "I am very sorry about the resignation of the Prime Minister as I am a strong supporter of his and consider that he has achieved a great deal for our country, particularly in getting Brexit done, the highly successful Covid vaccine rollout and his outstanding international leadership on the war in Ukraine. 

"It was a particular honour for me to be elected as the MP for Clwyd South in 2019, a seat which he stood for as the Conservative candidate in 1997 and which he has continued to visit regularly and take a great interest in ever since.

"I was very pleased to be appointed by the Prime Minister earlier this year as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, a position which enables me to see the high level of legislative and reforming activity being enacted by his government.

"We will now have a leadership election campaign in the Conservative Party which I am sure will be conducted rapidly and in a constructive and courteous fashion. I wish the Prime Minister and his family all the very best for the future and thank him from the bottom of my heart for all that he has done for Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom."

* A strong supporter of Boris Johnson in Llangollen, former county councillor Stuart Davies, has this afternoon resigned from the Conservative Party over the way he says the Prime Minister has been treated.  

Mr Davies commented: "Given the way the PM has been treated by some members and some officers of the Conservative Party I feel that I have no option but to resign from the Party that I have been a member of since the 90s.

"Accordingly I have let the relevant people know that I have resigned. Boris has been a friend of Clwyd South and myself since 1997. The actions of political opportunists and some members has sickened me.

"Boris got the big things right, such as Brexit, Covid and the war in Ukraine.

"I am sad to see him go."