The Welsh Society of Western New England (WSWNE)
|
|
The Welsh Society of Western New England (WSWNE) |
 Greg Ryder delivers
some Welsh themed humor
Nancy Bolgard describes her Welsh
themed artworks
while Bob Bolgard provides a closer look at each.  Nancy and Bob stand by a
table with just a
sample of her originals plus note cards based on them.
|
WSWNE
St. David's Day Gathering 2010
The luncheon was preceded by a welcome from our St. David's Day event organizer Tina Davies who again made all of the arrangements for our delectable luncheon and daffodil dappled room we have enjoyed year after year at the Nutmeg. Vice President Veronica Chapman led an opening prayer. Following the luncheon, WSWNE president Tom Bernard chaired our Annual General Meeting. He first invited member Greg Ryder to deliver some Welsh themed humor. Then Tom read St David’s Day messages from the British Consul General to New England, Dr. Phil Budden; from the First Minister for Wales, Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM and from the American Friends of St. David's Cathedral organization. Officer reports were given including one by outgoing Vice President Veronica Chapman who later received an enthusiastic round of applause for her outstanding service. The Board of Directors was elected for the 2010-11 membership year and Susan Davies Sit was welcomed as the new Vice President . The main program was presented by member Nancy Bolgard (a distinguished artist who has exhibited widely). Ten of her works with Welsh themes were displayed by her husband Bob Bolgard as she described the places and scenes in Wales that had inspired each. Nancy shared how her choice of what to draw and paint was influenced by its historical and cultural significance in addition to its intrinsic qualities as a subject to be captured by the tools of the artist. This is clear from her choice of castle images (including those at Conwy and Harlech, as well as Castell Coch and old castle remains). Pastoral scenes included the omnipresent sheep of Wales and a shepherd as well. Like poetic license, artistic license gave her permission to omit from the final composition the all terrain vehicles now used by some shepherds . Her "Prayer House in the Woods" captures the spirit of the walled burying ground in Betws y Coed, while her "Welsh Pirates of the Caribbean" title for a nautical scene gives a nod to that aspect of Welsh history. Anyone interested in purchasng originals, copies or note cards derived from the originals can contact Nancy at nbolgard@sbcglobal.net Following the main presentation, members and guests shared memories of their own favorite places and experiences in Wales. Included were walks up Mt. Snowden, riding the small trains, even a surpise encounter with Prince William changing out of a wet suit at the shore. And of course several reveled in pronouncing the longest place name in Wales: Llanfairpwllgwyngyll- gogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, then struggled to reconstruct the translation of its descriptive components. |
 Bennett
Hammond shares a laugh and refreshments with members and guests in the
lounge before the luncheon.
 Sue Davies Sit gets the
"short end of the cracker" in a pull with Shirley Gilmartin
 Lorraine
and Bennett Hammond present their Christmas program with the flag of
Wales behind and flanked by a gorgeous view
of the first snowfall of this Christmas season.
|
WSWNE
Annual Christmas Gathering 2009
Our annual Christmas Gathering was held Saturday December 5, 2009 at the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center on the campus of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. This was our second year at this location, chosen in part for the lovely view from the window wall of the spacious dining room where the luncheon and program were held. About thirty people, including both members and visitors, attended the event. The luncheon was preceded by a welcome from WSWNE President Tom Bernard, a lovely grace lead by Vice President Veronica Chapman, and the distribution of traditional party "crackers" contributed by Board Member Susan Davies Sit. The popping of the crackers (revealing their paper crown, small gift, and joke within) has now become an annual tradition with our Society. After the luncheon, all attention turned toward the center of the window wall. That was where Lorraine and Bennett Hammond presented the Christmas themed program, with the flag of Wales behind and flanked by a gorgeous view of the first snowfall of this Christmas season. The Hammonds presented a multipart musical program. First Lorraine discussed and demonstrated both the playing of the Celtic harp and its role in the bardic tradition of the Celtic lands. Harps were commonly played throughout Wales; the renowned "Welsh triple harp" was used primarily in North Wales. Among the tunes she played on harp was the classic Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through the Night). In association with informing the group of the vital role played by Welsh gypsies in preserving the folk tunes of Wales, Lorraine recounted an invitation she received to visit a gypsy encampment in Wales. That invitation was based on their awareness of Lorraine's song "Black Sarah"; the title is a reference to the patron saint of the European gypsies. She visited with them and even helped negotiate an agreement between them and the locals who normally use the site of that encampment for grazing animals. Together Lorraine and Bennett played and sang a wide selection of Christmas songs and tunes on harp, Appalachian dulcimer, and acoustic guitar. Many instrumental arrangements were from their beautiful "Peace on Earth" CD which they describe as being "Christmas music the way we play it when we're at home". Their warm and playful presence did indeed make us feel that they were entertaining us in our own living room. Finally, aided by lyrics from a traditional collection of songs for caroling brought for that purpose, they led us all in singing a wide range of Christmas songs and hymns, including many verses often left unsung. The program ended all too soon. We dispersed to our homes - well fed, well entertained, and well enlightened - but not before wishing one another a hearty Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year). |
 Bob Bolgard
makes announcement in the sunlit dining room of "Yarde
House on the Commons"
 Founding Chaplain
Arvel Steece with Tom Bernard
 Tina Davies visits with Arvel Steece before luncheon |
WSWNE
Annual Fall Gathering 2009
We held our Annual Fall Gathering on Saturday, September 26 at the newly renovated restaurant now called "Yarde House on the Commons" (formerly "Woodbridges" where WSWNE often held past Christmas events) in South Hadley, Massachusetts. A number of Connecticut members were delayed by a massive traffic jam near the New England Exposition site. But all went well as attendees took advantage of the extended opportunity to move freely about the sunlit dining room to visit with one another prior to luncheon being served. Among those attending was WSWNE Founding Chaplain and former correspondent to Ninnau, the Rev. Dr. Arvel M. Steece (retired Congregational minister, historian, hymnologist and poet), who led the event's opening and closing prayers. All enjoyed a fine luncheon followed by a fascinating program presented by a most enthusiastic speaker. The speaker, Professor Ronald Rees, was born in Wales and from 1964-1985 taught historical geography at the University of Saskatchewan. After moving to St. Andrews, New Brunswick he became an adjunct Professor at Mount Allison University. He is the author of several books including "King Copper: a history of the South Wales Copper Trade 1584-1895" and "Historic St Croix: St. Stephen Calais-Images of Our Past". Professor Rees spoke on the topic he is currently researching for his next book, congregational singing and its role in the revivals and the culture of the Welsh - both in Wales and in North America. He skillfully traced the key historical events in the early development of Protestant movements and linked them to the heightened role of hymns. The hymns were composed to be sung by the congregation and techniques were developed to teach multipart singing to the people. He emphasized that it was usually the singing that drew large numbers of people to the religious movements - more so than the religious ideas. He also discussed the development of Gmanfa Ganu and the addition of choral competition to the Eisteddfod as reflecting the Welsh cultural characteristics of love for singing and love of competition. Among his many stories was how the Mormon Tabernacle Choir came to be formed from a primarily Welsh choir.  Speaker Ronald Rees emphasizes a point. |
 Sue and Sherry hold flags in breeze
in front of our booth.
 Shirley and Sue rest after
greeting visitors all day.
|
WSWNE
at Celts and Currachs festival
New London, CT 2009 The Celts & Currachs Festival was held Saturday Aug. 22, 2009 at the historic waterfront district in New London, CT on a beautiful, breezy day on the water. This weather came as a pleasant surprise. Hurricane Bill moving just off the coast had been predicted to darken the skies and douse the area with rain. Those predictions appear to have kept some people away from this year's event, but we still had a number of visitors to our booth. Several expressed interest in participating in future Welsh Society events. For the third year in a row, WSWNE was fortunate to have Shirley and Dan Gilmartin assuming primary responsibility for setting up and breaking down a marvelous Welsh Traditions booth. This year, they were ably assisted by Sue Davies Sit. The booth again included a special photographic tribute to the Wales rugby team. This was joined by a variety of colorful posters, pictures of castles, framed sketches of Welsh costume and the maps & reference books to help answer questions. Shirley's grandmother's very heavy bakestone was again graced by Shirley's delectable Welshcakes for visitors to sample. Ed & Beth Brown brought recent copies of Ninnau for visitors, to help as needed, and to shoot photos for this website and for Ninnau. The WSWNE booth was again home base for the wonderful Welsh-American singer, Jodee James and her daughter Becky. Jodee gave two one-hour performances, sharing her songs in Welsh and English with appreciative crowds at both of the festival's two performance stages.  |
 The WSWNE group - thanks to Glynn Williams
who got left out because he took the photo. Thanks Glynn.
 Our Welsh flags led the parade this year!
|
WSWNE
at Glasgow Lands 2009
For the seventh year in a row, our Welsh Society of Western New England participated in the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival at Look Park in Northampton, Massachusetts. This year's event was held on Saturday July 18, a gorgeous summer day that brought out large numbers of people. Our Welsh society "clan tent" was kept very busy. We answered questions from people interested in their possible Welsh roots, chatted with those who have visited Wales or are planning to do so and were pleased at the high level of interest in the many books, maps, and photos on display. We even had a supply of home made Welsh cakes to share. We were unexpectedly serenaded by a Scottish wandering minstral group. At first they started to pass us by, teasing us with, "Oh, they're just the Welsh.". They immediately stopped, backed up, and recalled our common historic difficulties with the English. "Ahh, that's all right then; let's play for the Welsh." - which they did (see photo below).  Scots serenade the Welsh!
For the first time our Welsh flags were first in line in the parade to the colorful opening ceremony. Ed & Beth Brown were aided in setting up for the event by Veronica Chapman early on. Others soon arrived to do their part. Glynn Williams long reach was just the thing to get our flags out of their high flag-holders so they could be carried in the parade. Tom Bernard brought his own Welsh flag to grace the front of the display table and many books to spread upon its browsing surface. He received many comments on the red-hair wig with tam he wore ... a nod to his birthplace? (click on the "more photos" link see it). Former WSWNE Vice President Jim Loughman and Sherry Williams helped field questions at the booth. We were also visited by Pamela Petro who gave our past St. David's Day talk based on her book Travels in an Old Tongue:Touring the World Seeking Welsh Speakers. |
 Tina Davies welcomes all to our St. David's
Day event
 Tom
Bernard opens the Annual General Meeting
despite Welsh dragon about to remove his ear  Pamela
Petro gives talk based on her book
Travels in an Old Tongue: Touring the World Seeking Welsh Speakers |
WSWNE
St. David's Day Gathering 2009
The luncheon was preceded by a welcome from our St. David's Day event organizer Tina Davies who again made all of the arrangements for our delectable luncheon and daffodil dappled room we have enjoyed year after year at the Nutmeg. The welcome concluded with the reading of a lovely poem "Cwmni" read by its author, WSWNE member Sherry Williams. Following the luncheon, WSWNE president Tom Bernard opened our Annual General Meeting by reading St David’s Day messages from the British Consul General to New England, Dr. Phil Budden and from the First Minister for Wales, Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM (see complete text on the News & Information Page). Officer reports were given and the Board of Directors was elected for the 2009-10 membership year (see listing near bottom of Home Page). The main program was presented by Pamela Petro who read and commented on excerpts from her book, Travels in an Old Tongue: Touring the World Seeking Welsh Speakers. Her book describes her odyssey that began when she became frustrated trying to learn Welsh in Wales ... because whenever she stumbled with her Welsh, the locals would always revert to English. She decided to go where English was not an option - all kinds of unlikely places with long-standing Welsh-speaking communities. She visited the Hong Kong Men's Choir, all Chinese men who sing in Welsh; the Japanese bardic "eisteddfod" in Tokyo; the Welsh golfers of Oslo; the diners of the Paris Welsh society; and Patagonia. Her talk also included her experiences learning the language through the Wlpan course in Lampeter. All in attendance enjoyed her experiences vicariously, especially those who have attempted to learn the language. A ripple of knowing laughter accompanied her description of the Welsh language's "mutations" as "mutilations, shape shifting and musical clauses from Hell". Pamela Petro is a writer and artist who is Welsh not by birth nor heritage, but by choice. She has written about Wales for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Islands Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, and many other publications, on subjects ranging from hiking Glyndwr's Way to devolution and the Welsh Assembly. Her article, "The Eloquent Stones of Wales," published in the Sunday New York Times, received the Bedford Pace Award for Writing on Britain in 2000. Pamela Petro is the author of three books of travel literature, all published by HarperCollins, London. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is working on a novel set in New England and Wales. |
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Return to Top of Page and
MENU
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>