A Review of The National Eisteddfod 2010

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     This year has seen the arrival of the National Eisteddfod to Ebbw Vale for the first time in over 50 years. The last time this event was held in Ebbw Vale was in 1958, and the biggest highlight of that years festival was an appearance by the legendary Paul Robeson, one of the finest singers to ever grace the planet. Now in 2010, the Eisteddfod has returned to Ebbw Vale and on Sunday August 1st, I had the chance to attend this event and see for myself what it was like.

     So what was my impression of this event ? To be quite honest I found it very disappointing in many ways. To start with, the event as a whole felt like one big advertisment for the Welsh Language, as virtually everything is done in Welsh ! Now, that was no suprise, but considering that it is being held in the South (where admittedly, we speak less Welsh than the Mid and North) you get the feeling that the attitude feels like this event is being held in the North, and that they don’t accomodate the idea of our less underestanding of the language. This could be seen not just with the assistants who are there to guide you and help you, but also in the stands themselves. It feels like an isolated event that doesn’t appeal to anyone beyond Wales.

     My next problem was with Transport. There is little space to park your cars at the site, so shuttle buses have been put on, that go from designated car parks to the site. A good idea, except there are only two of these car parks throughout the whole borough !!! The road that leads to the Eisteddfod is about a half mile long, and yet no one can take their cars across the road, not even to drop someone off at the entrance. Only the buses may use this road, an idea that not only I find insane but also disgraceful, as this makes it clearly awkward for anyone with a serious disability, as was the case that Sunday evening when I found out that an elderly lady who I know attended a concert there, but had to take a bus there because she could not take her car along the road. As a result, it took this lady almost 30 mins to get through the front entrance, because of her limited movement. Leaving the event, it took her 90 minutes to get from the Eisteddfod to her car in one of the car parks. This I found not only disgraceful, but also a clear violation of the Disabilities Act.