Elizeus Williams or Eifion Wyn was born in 1867 in Porthmadog. When he was two years old he caught pneumonia. This seriously affected his health for the rest of his life. Later whenever he was ill, he often sucked a slice of lemon, this seemed to ease the symptoms.
He was a very popular poet. Three thousand copies of his second volume of poetry were sold within days. Ora Pro Nobis, Cwm Pennant, and Mai are among his most famous poems. He also wrote two of our most popular hymns - Dod ar fy Mhen, and Efengyl Tangnefedd.
Although he won seven local eisteddfod chairs, he was never chaired as he was too shy to appear on stage. But he was more than happy to publish scathing letters in Welsh newspapers complaining of the many unfair adjudications he felt he had received.
He died on 13 October 1926. His gravestone came from one of the places he immortalized - Cwm Pennant.
© 2012 S4C
O Gymru / Made in Wales