MONTGOMERYSHIRE’S Urdd National Eisteddfod medal haul grew to 40 by the end of another successful week at Europe’s largest cultural youth festival.

Hundreds of children and young people descended on Cardiff Bay to compete for Wales’ top prizes in a wide range of competitions, from poetry to singing cerdd-dant, from cooking to disco dancing.

Ysgol Gynradd Pontrobert won a first-place medal for Montgomeryshire following a brilliant performance of ‘ Lle Bach Tlws’ (Pretty Little Place) in one of the best theatres in the world, the Donald Gordon Theatre. The small school won Montgomeryshire’s first on-stage medal of the week in the Parti Unsain (One Voice Choir) competition.

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Catherine Parry, headteacher, said: “We’re so proud of the children and we’re only a small school. We’re grateful for the support from parents and staff who help provide the children with these opportunities. And also to the Friends of the School because with their financial support, the children can become members of the Urdd and have free brass lessons.”

Also representing the region at the Wales Millennium Centre were Penygloddfa CP School pupils from Newtown who won third place in the Parti Unsain for Welsh learners.

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Ysgol Dyffryn Banw won a medal for third place for folk dancing to the tune of Y Rhaglyn.

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Cadi Glwys Davies won two medals for Ysgol Uwchradd Llanfyllin. She won second place in the folk dancing solo and a third-place medal in the harp solo competition.

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A record number of entrants from Caereinion High School competed at this year’s Eisteddfod.The Welsh learners recitation group won second place and the ymgom earned them third-place.

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Lwsi Roberts and Medi Lewis won third place for their duet.

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In the homework competitions, Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd pupils Elliw Grug Dafydd and Evan Smout won first and second prize respectively for their Welsh poems entitled ‘Seren’ (Star).

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Montgomeryshire also won 28 medals in the arts, design and technology at this year’s Urdd National Eisteddfod including Zach Robinson from Penygloddfa CP School, who won a third-place medal for his drawing in the additional learning needs category for Years 3 to 6.

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Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s chief executive, Sian Lewis, has thanked the teachers and tutors of Wales for ensuring that the competition standard and number of entries in this year’s Eisteddfod was higher than ever. She described teachers as ‘the backbone’ of the organisation.

“But what is evident, yet again this year, is the effort and sheer hours of work given to preparing for the Eisteddfod by hundreds of teachers, tutors, parents and carers over a period of months,” she said.

“They truly are the backbone of the organisation. A competitor’s journey involves learning, creating, practicing, registering, travelling and organising. A workforce of teachers and tutors has ensured the amazingly high standard of this particular Eisteddfod.”

Next year, the Urdd National Eisteddfod will be held in Denbighshire between May 25 and 30.