This week Iolo and Shân have come to the Llandysul area, Ceredigion. They talk to the people who live and work here.
Llandysul is a small town on the the banks of the River Teifi. There are 1000 people living here. Until 2009 the road between Carmarthen and Aberaeron went through the town, but today there is a new bypass.
Shân talks to poet Menna Elfyn and they go for a walk around Llandysul. Menna’s daughter is the singer Fflur Dafydd.
Menna and Shân gop to see the church of Sant Tysul. People used to play a [highlight title=This was a new year tradition that was ended when Vicar Enoc James came to the parish. He started the tradition of celebrating ‘Calan Hen’ on January 12 – Old New Year]ball game[/highlight] around the church; there was a lot of drinking, fun and fighting!
Iolo goes to talk to Len Smith. Len used to work in Dre-fach woollen factory. Now he sells fish. Len – “Len Fish” – comes to Llandysul in his fish fan every Tuesday.
There were very many [highlight title=The woollen mills of the area made blankets (carthenni), flannel shirts (crysau gwlanen) and socks (hosanau).]woollen mills[/highlight] and water mills in here, but today they have all gone.
Iolo goes to talk to Rhys Tom Williams. Rhys is an amateur boxer and is a Super Heavyweight Welsh and European Champion. Rhys is very fit; he trains a lot - boxing, weightlifting and swimming – and he also plays rugby.
Shân goes to Llandysul old school to talk to John and Alan from Telynau Teifi. Eight people make harps here. They make small and large harps called “Dryw Bach”, “Gwennol” and “Eos”.
Shân goes to Tregroes Waffle factory to talk to Kees Huysmans. Kees copme from The netherlands. The company made waffles in Tregroes in 1983 but today they are in Llandysul and they make 4000 waffles every hour! Shân goes around the factory to see how they make waffles and, of course, she eats a fresh waffle!
Gwasg Gomer is one of Wales’ famous book companies. In 1892 the press was in in Llandysul, but today they have moved to a factory outside the town. Iolo goes to talk to John B Lewis, John ‘Sam’ Jones, Vince Lloyd and Iona Hopkins about the work of the company.
Nick Bates is an instructor with Llandysul Paddlers. The company teaches people how to go on the river in a kayak or canoe. Shân talks to Nick and learns to canoe on the River Teifi.
Iolo goes to the leisure centre in Llandysul to see the women’s hocket team practise. Girls from 11 years old to over 30 play the game and Iolo talks to Gwyneth Ayres and Teleri Morris-Thomas and tries to score goals!
