Denbighshire Record Office staff have now completed cataloguing the records of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, partly thanks to a project generously funded by CyMAL, which has helped to ensure the preservation of this internationally significant collection.  The catalogue and the records themselves are now available to the public at Denbighshire Record Office in Ruthin.

Llangollen Eisteddfod has a rich history, it originated from an idea by Harold Tudor of Coedpoeth, to create a festival to promote international peace and goodwill through music in the aftermath of the Second World War.  The first eisteddfod was held in 1947 and the first German choir attended in 1949.  The huge commercial success of the Obernkirchen Children’s Choir’s recording of ‘The Happy Wanderer’ in 1953 (released without the permission of the eisteddfod authorities) confirmed the success of the festival in the early years.    

From its humble beginnings in the small town of Llangollen, the International Musical Eisteddfod has attained international recognition as a cultural event; competitors come from all over the world to take part in the song and dance competitions, and internationally renowned artists perform in the evening concerts, including , in recent years, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Julian Lloyd Webber and this year, Barbara Dixon.

The collection contains hundreds of records relating to the Eisteddfod, from 1946 up to the present day, and includes photographs of royal visits, telegrams of support  from famous individuals such as Anthony Eden and Sybil Thorndike, colourful posters and brochures, photographs of competitors from all around the world, audio recordings, and much more.

The festival owes its survival to the help and support of the local people, including the Friends of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, who have also assisted in this project.  What is certain is that there is still more out there which needs to be preserved for the future, so if you have any records relating to the Eisteddfod, please let us know at Denbighshire Record Office.

The record office is at Ruthin Gaol, 46 Clwyd Street, Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 1HP. Telephone: 01824 708250 or email archives@denbighshire.gov.uk