Following their recent rugby Grand Slam victory, the Welsh have experienced a surge in national pride. As the feelgood factor spreads across Wales, areas outside the rugby field are expected to benefit from this recent win. It couldn’t be a better time to be Welsh. Nefyn-born pop singer Duffy stormed the charts, the successes of Torchwood and Dr Who is making Cardiff the premier destination for aliens across the Universe - and now the new National Poet of Wales has just been announced, giving the established, and very British, Poet Laureate a run for his money.

Gillian Clarke (pictured) will succeed Professor Gwyn Thomas as National Poet of Wales. Born in Cardiff and now living in Talgarreg, west Wales, Gillian is a poet, playwright, editor and translator. A set-text poet for GCSE and A-level English, she is well-known to students and teachers throughout the UK.

Fellow curriculum poet, Carol Ann Duffy, was very pleased to hear the news of the new appointment: "Gillian Clarke is one of the most widely respected and deeply loved poets in the world”, she says, “and her appointment upholds Wales's long and glorious tradition of being represented by only the best in poetry.”

Gillian Clarke, delighted with accepting the post, says: “I suppose the title ‘National Poet for Wales’ is like the conch shell in Lord of the Flies. If you happen to be holding it, you may speak. The trick must be to carry it carefully, not to drop it, and, while holding it, to speak with tact, passion, truth, persuasion. I see the role as ambassadorial, within and outside Wales. I hope it will open doors. I interpret the Academi’s chosen model for the role of National Poet as being one of cumulative development, one poet’s work building on another’s, with careful attention paid to the bilingual nature of Wales” 

The post of National Poet of Wales was established in 2005 by Academi, the Literature Promotion Agency for Wales, with Arts Council of Wales Lottery funding. Gwyneth Lewis was the first incumbent, followed by Professor Gwyn Thomas in 2006.

Peter Finch, Academi Chief Executive commented:  "The role of National Poet for Wales requires an ability to communicate, to write well and often, and to have a regular route into that magic that makes verse work.  As a previous Capital Poet for Cardiff and one our best-selling exports Gillian is simply the best person I can think of for the job.”

 

Professor Dai Smith, Chair of the Arts Council of Wales, says:
“The Arts Council of Wales is proud to sponsor this distinguished writer as our third National Poet".

Gillian Clarke is the author of several volumes of poetry and many broadcast plays. A collection of prose writing, At the Source, is published next month by Carcanet, followed by a new collection of poetry, A Recipe for Water, later in the year.

Gillian will be officially welcomed to the new post in a series of two hand-over events. On Wednesday 16 April at 7.30pm, in association with T? Newydd Writers’ Centre, at Moreia Chapel in Llanystumdwy and on Friday 18 April at 6.30pm with the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff.