FOLLOWING last week’s successful visit by the Urdd National Eisteddfod to Llanelwedd it is now hoped that the biggest cultural festival for young people in Europe will return to Wales’ ancient capital one day.

Glantwymyn County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan has called on the Eisteddfod to visit Machynlleth in 2022, 70 years since it was last held in the town.

Cllr Vaughan says that he has already held discussions with the Urdd and with Powys County Council to bring the Eisteddfod to the town.

Machynlleth has hosted the festival twice, in 1932 and 1952, and nearby Llanidloes did so in 1970. Next year’s Urdd Eisteddfod will take place in Cardiff and Denbigh is set to host it in 2020.

Cllr Vaughan said: “It’s time for it to come back, 2022 would be great to see it come back here.

“I will now be calling on Powys County Council’s cabinet to invite the Urdd Eisteddfod to Machynlleth as it would be a great boost for the economy, culture and Welsh language here, building on the success of this year’s Eisteddfod in Llanelwedd.”

Machynlleth County Councillor Michael Williams has backed the idea. He said: “It’s an excellent idea I would welcome it.

“It would be a huge boost to Machynlleth and all the youth organisations in the area.”

However there is one huge snag. At Llanelwedd last week much of the discussion centred on having a permanent site for the Eisteddfod, with the Royal Welsh Showground being mooted as a good destination for the whole country.

Due to the costs of holding the Urdd Eisteddfod all across Wales the organisation has been discussing finding one suitable venue to host the Eisteddfod annually.

The implications of having a permanent home will be discussed at a meeting of the Eisteddfod Board in July with the suggestion that the Urdd does an in depth study into the suggestion.

n What do you think? Would you like to see the Urdd National Eisteddfod held in Machynlleth in future?