TAIR: Elen

A storytelling weekend in north west Wales, for women, Friday 31st May – Sunday 2nd June 2024

Penwythnos chwedleua yng Nghymru gogledd-orllewin, ar gyfer fenywod, 31 Mai – 2 Mehefin 2024

TAIR: A year and a day of women’s stories, inspired by the work of storyteller Esyllt Harker

The show TAIR: Daughters of Earth and Time was created and performed by storyteller and singer Esyllt Harker in 2012. For Esyllt, that performance was ‘just the beginning’ of the work’s journey. Sadly, she died before being able to develop it further.

Now, in 2024, Chwedl is proud to share Esyllt’s notes and research over three Tair weekends, stretching across a year and a day.

We invite women here in Wales, and further afield, to explore and develop Esyllt’s work with us.

TAIR, meaning ‘three’ in Welsh, tells the stories of three Welsh women from story, history and poetry: 

  • Elen, immortalised in the Mabinogion tale, ‘Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig / The Dream of Macsen Wledig’.
  • Gwenllian, the Welsh warrior princess, whose death on the battlefield at the hands of the Normans is a seminal event in our Nation’s history. 
  • Heledd, who gives her name to  ‘Canu Heledd/ Heledd’s Song’, a long and complex poem dating from around the 9th century.

Our journey begins on 31st May 2024 with Cath Little, Angharad Owen and Claire Mace, exploring Elen’s story and her mythic landscape in and around North West Wales, through listening to her story, visiting her places, and exploring storytelling tools and techniques.

On 20 September 2024 we head to south-west Wales to join Angharad Wynne for a weekend weaving history, story and ceremony, as we walk the land of Gwenllian’s rebel court and the battlefield where she died.

In Spring 2025 the journey moves to the Welsh Marches, to walk Heledd’s land.

The journey will conclude after a year and a day, on 1st June 2025 in Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda, when all who have taken part will have the opportunity to come together in celebration.

You can come to all the workshops or just to one. All women, and those who identify as women, are welcome.

DETAILS OF WEEKEND 1: ELEN

TAIR: ELEN will happen in and around Caernarfon from Friday 31st – Sunday 2nd June 2024.

Friday 31st May 7.30pm Storytelling show ‘Dreaming the Other World’ – Galeri, LL55 1SQ 

Saturday 1st June 10am-5pm Storytelling workshop – Town Council/Institute Building, LL55 1AT

Saturday 1st June 7.30pm Open Story Session – Yacht Club, LL55 1SN

Sunday 2nd June 10am-1pm Walking in Elen’s footsteps – near Betws y Coed / Caerhun in Conwy (lift shares from Caernarfon available)

This will be a bilingual space where Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers are welcome.

You will need to arrange food and accommodation in Caernarfon or at a nearby campsite.  Email claire@anadlu.com for some suggestions.

If you have mobility or other needs, please get in contact to discuss how we can best support you. The Friday and Saturday venues are spread across the town of Caernarfon. If you have a blue badge, you will be able to park near to venues, otherwise expect a 5-10 minute walk from one of the official carparks. On Sunday we will be walking on rural footpaths.

Tickets for the weekend include all the gigs, workshops and walks.

Weekend ticket – regular price £75

Weekend ticket – concession price (unwaged, low income) £50 

The performance on Friday night is also open to the public, including men and young people over 11.

Blwyddyn a diwrnod o straeon merched, wediu hysbrydoli gan waith y storïwraig Esyllt Harker.

Crëwyd a pherfformiwyd TAIR: Marched Daear ag Amser gan y storïwr a chantores, Esyllt Harker, yn 2012. I Esyllt, ‘mond dechrau’ y daith oedd y perfformiad hwnnw. Yn anffodus, bu farw cyn iddi allu ei ddatblygu ymhellach.

Nawr, yn 2024,  deng mlynedd ers ei marwolaeth, mae Chwedl yn falch o’r cyfle i rannu nodiadau ac ymchwil Esyllt dros dri phenwythnos Tair, yn ymestyn ar draws blwyddyn a diwrnod.

Rydym yn gwahodd gwragedd yma yng Nghymru, a thu hwnt, i ymuno a ni i archwilio a datblygu gwaith Esyllt.

Mae TAIR, yn adrodd straeon tair Cymraes: un o stori, un o hanes ac un o farddoniaeth:

  • Elen, wedi ei hanfarwoli yn chwedl y Mabinogi, ‘Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig.’
  • Gwenllian, y dywysoges arfog, y mae ei marwolaeth ar faes y gad yn nwylo’r Normaniaid yn rhan annatod o hanes ein Cenedl.
  • Heledd, a rhoddodd ei henw i ‘Canu Heledd’, hengerdd hir a chymleth o’r 9fed ganrif.

Bydd ein taith yn cychwyn ar 31 Mai 2024, gyda Cath Little, Angharad Owen a Claire Mace, yn ein tywys i dirwedd stori Elen yng Ngogledd Orllewin Cymru. Cewn wrando ar ei stori, ymweld â safleodd y chwedl, ac archwilio technegau adrodd straeon.

Ar 20 Medi 2024 awn i dde-orllewin Cymru i ymuno ag Angharad Wynne am benwythnos o hanes, stori a seremoni wrth i ni droedio tir llys Gwenllian a maes y gad lle bu farw.

Yng ngwanwyn 2025 mae’r daith yn symud i’r Gororau, i gerdded tir Heledd.

Bydd y siwrne yn dod i ben ar ôl blwyddyn a diwrnod, ar 1 Mehefin 2025, pan fydd cyfle i bawb sydd wedi cymryd rhan i ddod at ei gilydd i ddathlu.

Cewch ddod i’r holl weithdai neu dim ond i un. Mae croeso i bob menyw, ac i rheini sy’n uniaethu fel merch.

MANYLION PENWYTHNOS 1: ELEN

Cynhelir penwythnos ELEN o gwmpas Caernarfon o Ddydd Gwener 31ain – Dydd Sul 2 Mehefin, 2024.

Ar nos Wener 31 Mai am 7.30pm, cynhelir sioe chwedleua ‘Breuddwydio’r Byd Arall’ yn Galeri, LL55 1SQ

Dydd Sadwrn 1 Mehefin 10am-5pm Cynhelir gweithdy adrodd straeon yn yr Adeilad y Cyngor Tref/Instiwt LL55 1AT

Nos Sadwrn 1 Mehefin 7.30pm, bydd Sesiwn Stori Agored yn y Clwb Iotio, LL55 1SN

Dydd Sul 2 Mehefin 10am-1pm byddwn yn camu yn ôl troed Elen ger Betws y Coed / Caerhun yng Nghonwy (gellir rhannu lifft o Gaernarfon).

Bydd hwn yn ofod dwyieithog lle mae croeso i siaradwyr Cymraeg a di-Gymraeg.

Bydd angen i chi drefnu lluniaeth a llety yng Nghaernarfon neu mewn maes gwersylla cyfagos. E-bostiwch claire@anadlu.com am rai awgrymiadau.

Os oes gennych chi anghenion symudedd neu anghenion arbennig eraill, cysylltwch â ni i drafod sut y gallwn eich cefnogi orau. Mae lleoliadau dydd Gwener a dydd Sadwrn wedi’u gwasgaru ar draws tref Caernarfon. Os oes gennych chi fathodyn glas, gallwch barcio’n agos at y lleoliadau, fel arall disgwyliwch daith gerdded 5-10 munud o un o’r meysydd parcio swyddogol. Ddydd Sul byddwn yn cerdded ar lwybrau troed gwledig.

Mae tocynnau ar gyfer y penwythnos yn cynnwys yr holl gigs, gweithdai a theithiau cerdded.

Tocyn penwythnos – pris rheolaidd £75

Tocyn penwythnos – pris consesiwn (digyflog, incwm isel) £50

Bydd perfformiad nos Wener yn agored i’r cyhoedd, gan gynnwys dynion a phobl ifanc dros 11 oed. 

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