Ifor ap Glyn, a poet who has published five collections in Welsh, has been appointed as the new national poet of Wales. He will take over in May from Gillian Clarke, who has held the position since 2008. Glyn, who was born in 1961 to a Welsh-speaking family in London, and now lives in Caernarfon, won the crown at the National Eisteddfod in 1999 and 2013. He said of his predecessor: “Gillian has taken the role of national poet to new heights during her tenure, and I'd like to thank her for her tireless efforts in promoting Welsh poetry and literature at home and on the international stage.”

 He added: “Writing in Welsh is no bar to connecting with a wider audience, as I have found in the past, from Boston to Brussels and Dublin to Washington, and as the next national poet of Wales I look forward to promoting what the writers of Wales have to offer in both languages.”

Glyn is a founder member and director, producer and presenter of television company Cwmni Da, and has a longstanding interest in combining poetry with performance. He said: “There’s plenty of scope for Welsh poetry to expand its audience beyond the 20% of people in Wales who already speak the language, both within the country and in the wider UK. After all, Welsh is part of Britain’s shared cultural heritage.”

Clarke welcomed the appointment of her successor, saying: “Ifor ap Glyn is a friend who will take on the baton with charm, and be an articulate voice for Wales and for poetry.” The British poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, said: “After the fantastic work by Gillian Clarke as national poet, it is exciting to see the role pass to a Welsh-language poet who I am sure will help to celebrate the Welsh language, which is among the greatest treasures of these islands.”

Glyn is due to make his first public appearance as national poet at the Hay festival on 31 May, where he will perform with Clarke. Wales’s first national poet, Gwyneth Lewis, was appointed in 2005, and Gwyn Thomas served from 2006 until 2008.

Literature Wales have also marked by St David’s Day by appointing the poet and educator Sophie McKeand, pictured right, as young people’s laureate. McKeand, a writer and producer for various National Theatre Wales Team projects, won the Out-Spoken innovation in poetry award last year. She said she was “deeply honoured … This opportunity to share my love of poetry across our beautiful country is a dream come true and I look forward to collaborating with, and listening to, the many young people of Wales I’ll meet on this incredible two-year journey.” 

PHOTOGRAPHS: EMYR LLEWELYN JONES and GREG FREEMAN / WRITE OUT LOUD