Welcome - News

Kernewek

We invite you to explore our site. Here you can learn about the history and origins of the Gorsedh, the purpose and significance of the ceremonies, our annual competitions, events, our links to organisations and our place in contemporary Cornish society. The site is continually updated to include the latest news.

To see a Cornish version of any page, please click on the flag. Click on the logo at the top of any English page to return to this one.

The Cornish Gorsedd used Unified Cornish (UC) spelling for all its business until the June 2009 AGM when it adopted the Standard Written Form (SWF). All news items added since that date are therefore in the new spelling.

Gorsedh Kernow: The Cornish Gorsedd 1928-2012

On Saturday 1st September 2012 the gathering of the Bards of Cornwall will take place in Camelford. As this year marks the end of the 3 year term of office of both the current Grand Bard, Skogynn Pryv and of his deputy Steren Mor, a new Grand Bard and Deputy Grand Bard will be installed at the ceremony.

Public attendance is free and welcomed.

Details of the ceremony and supporting events can be seen here.

The Awen Ceremony

In past Celtic times, assemblies were regularly held at important sites throughout Britain, one of which was the ancient stone circle at Boscawen Un, in the parish of St Buryan on the high moors of West Cornwall. The stone circle is believed to date back to about 2000 BC, before the Celts settled in Britain.

On Midsummer's day, the Bards of Gorsedh Kernow returned to Boscawen Un for the Awen ceremony. This circle of 19 granite stones with a central stone leaning at an angle, was the site of the first Gorsedd in 1928, and first Awen ceremony last year.

A film of the Awen ceremony can be seen here.

Summary Report of Gorsedh Kernow AGM

A total of 47 bards attended the AGM which was held in the Council Chamber of Lys Kernow (County Hall) on Saturday 16th June 2012. 23 bards sent apologies.

Bardh Meur thanked those members of the outgoing Council for their work during the last three years and gave his address in which he stressed the ongoing need for recruitment of younger people and outlined recent changes in the procedure for nomination of new bards.

He was also encouraged by the continuing growth of the influence of the Gorsedd and the increase in celebrations around Pirantide. He summed up by mentioning the significance of the presence of our national flag on the royal galley Gloriana flying as one of the nations of Britain and reminded us that there is much yet to do, so we’d better get on and do it.

Reports were presented and accepted by the various sub-committees. The treasurer’s report from David Lindo Carer Lowarthow was followed by a tribute to him from Carl Roberts Whyler Ertch Sen Ostell, as he has now retired. The new Treasurer, Jerry Rogers Mab Eglosvelyon, was introduced and approved unanimously by the assembled bards.

Cum Morek reported that there will be 15 people invited to become bards this year. They include 8 accepted through qualification in Cornish language, 2 from Australia and one from USA.

Following the election held earlier this year, the results were read out by An Skrifenyades. The Gorsedh Kernow Council will now consist of the following 20 elected members: Terry Bale, Russell Bennett, Bert Biscoe, Wella Brown, Eileen Carter, Marion Coombe, Howard Curnow, Merv Davey, Susan Davey, Peter Harvey, Terry Knight, Mike Millard, Pat Miller, Vanessa Moyle, Maureen Pierce, Alastair Quinnell, Phil Rendle, Colin Roberts, Barbara Shaw and Keith Shaw as well as the Grand Bard, Deputy Grand Bard, former Grand Bards, Treasurer and Secretary.

The following motion was carried:
Amendment to Rule 6a which at present reads:
"a) The Grand Bard, Deputy Grand Bard, Secretary and Treasurer (hereinafter called ‘the Officers’)"
To be amended to read:
"a) The Grand Bard and Deputy Grand Bard who will both be qualified by their competence in the Cornish Language, Secretary and Treasurer (hereinafter called ‘the Officers’)"

The following motion was carried:
"That Gorsedh Kernow becomes a member of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association."

The following motion was carried:
"That this AGM asks the Council of the Gorsedd to review procedures of election of the Grand Bard and Deputy Grand Bard and to present a report with recommendations to the AGM 2013."

The meeting closed and was followed by Evensong in the Long Gallery conducted by The Chaplain to the Gorsedd, Rev Jane Kneebone Colum Wyn.

To commemorate the 2012 Gorsedd taking place in Camelford, Gorsedh Kernow has put together a publication which details the lives and works of forty-six deceased bards who lived and worked, at least for part of their lives, in the North Cornwall area. There are also details of twenty-six living Bards, and the work they are doing for Cornwall now. This is the third in a planned series of publications covering the area in which the annual Gorsedh Kernow is held.

For further details and how to order a copy please click here.

Calendar and Christmas Cards for 2013

A high quality Cornish, 13 month, calendar 2013 is available to Bards with dates of key annual Cornish events, festivals and celebrations including Gorsedh Kernow activities and dates. Days and months are in Cornish and English.

The Christmas cards are in packs of 5 assorted Cornish scenes, with a seasonal greeting in the Cornish language.

Also available is a selection of 5 assorted general notecards with a greeting in Cornish, designed and printed in Cornwall for Gorsedh Kernow. Order form here.

Family, friends and Bards were present at a special party for Marjorie Trevanion to celebrate her 100th Birthday. Marjorie has regularly entered Gorsedh Competitions and in 2008 won first prize in the class for Cornish verse. The widow of past Grand Bard Dennis Trevanion - Trevanyon, Marjorie was made a Bard in 1981, at Nance, Illogan. Deputy Grand Bard Maureen Fuller - Steren Mor presented a special certificate to her from Gorsedh Kernow, marking the 100th Birthday of Rosen Wyn Evrok, White Rose of York.

Summary Report of Gorsedh Kernow Council Meeting April 2012

Kannas Bardh Meur gave an update on the Open Gorsedd at Camelford, the plans for which are progressing well with local involvement and publicity very positive.

St Piran’s Day was discussed. More towns have taken up processions and this is encouraging. A public statement from Bardh Meur will be given to the press to encourage local authorities to organise events in the run-up to St Piran’s Day next year as well as calling on bards to engage in events in their own localities.

Reports from sub-committees were presented and accepted with a large amount of time devoted to suggested changes to procedures on admission of bards. This will be discussed further.

A new committee is now in place to handle Gorsedd Competitions.

This year will see the election of a new Council – this happens every three years - and this is well under way with the results being announced at this year’s AGM in June.

The Gorsedd Proclamation at Camelford 2012

In spite of the unsettled weather of the previous days, the morning, though cold was sunny. With a banner welcoming the Gorsedd to Camelford hanging across the street, the procession of about 60 Bards led by the piper, Merv Davey - Telynor an Weryn, wound its way through the town to Enfield Park where the ceremony began with a welcome in Cornish from the Mayor.

In reply the Grand Bard thanked him and the people of Camelford for their hospitality, and presented the town with a framed piece of prose in Cornish by Tim Saunders - Bardh Gwerin.

After the short ceremony and the announcement that the main ceremony, the open Gorsedh would take place in the town on Saturday the 1st September, the procession returned to the Methodist church for refreshments.

News from Gorsedh Kernow Bards in Australia

Eaglehawk (Bendigo) is the former gold mining town in Victoria, Australia where 20 Bards resident in Australia came together in March for their Bardic Gathering and to proudly promote their Cornish Heritage.

A huge crowd gathered to watch the ceremony and to the delight of those assembled, the girls dancing in the ceremony were step perfect.

Included in the photograph with the Bards and Banner Bearers are the Mayor Clr. Rod Fyffe, Former Victorian of the year Lola Miller, and Sister Cities (Bendigo and Penzance) President, Peter Mundy. Photographer was CAV Member Arthur Coates

On a recent visit to South Australia the Gorsedh membership secretary, David Holman - Rifelwas, met up with the Bards of the Yorke Peninsula. Terry Johnson - Den a Bol, and Noel Carthew - Map Caddy, drove the 100 or so miles up from Adelaide to Moonta to join other Bards for lunch.

From left to right : David Holman (Rifelwas), Ros Paterson (Roslyn an Dyghow), Noel Carthew (Map Caddy), Terry Johnson (Den a Bol), Beth Vayne (Awhesyth Byasen), Liz Coole (Myrgh Moonta), Lilian James (Ula Ruthvelen), Paul Thomas (Map Wallaroo).

Dr Kaspar Stephen Hocking - Car Broghas

A celebration for the life of Kaspar was held recently when family, friends and colleagues came together to remember him and share their memories after his death in February at the age of 99.

Kaspar Hocking, was born in January 1913. He studied biology at Imperial College in London and worked for 30 years as an entomologist in East Africa (Tanganyika, Uganda, and Kenya), before retiring to Polwheveral, Constantine in 1967. Along with his younger daughter Vanessa Beeman he attended Hilary Shaw's Cornish class at Penryn both becoming Bards of Gorsedh Kernow in 1993, when he was 80. He was Chairman of Agan Tavas from 1996 to 1998, and in 2009 his Cornish translation of 'Around the Word in 80 Days' was published. With a passion for wildlife he was still attending meetings of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust of which he had been both its Chairman and President. He regularly played chess running the Constantine school chess club for 6 years, and enjoyed cruising. He was so proud when Vanessa became Grand Bard 2006 and again when his other daughter Shelagh Garrard received her Bardship in 2010. I will always remember 'K' as a quiet, kind friend, a man of dignity so interesting to talk with, and someone who will be much missed by so many.

Pat Miller - Myrgh Jowna
Website manager

Gorsedd Proclamation 2012

The Gorsedd Proclamation will be held on 21st April 2012 at Camelford. Bards can robe in the Methodist Church in the main street from 10 am.

The Proclamation site is Enfield Park, entrance is in the main street by the bridge.

The Ceremony will start at 11 a.m.

There will be a short procession back to the Methodist Church for refreshments.

Gorsedh Kernow Competitions 2012

Can we remind everyone that the closing date for the 2012 competitions is Tuesday 17th April.

For full details click here for adults, and here for young people.

The distinctive flag of St Piran could be seen throughout Cornwall and overseas as Cornish communities came together to celebrate the feast day of their patron saint. The number of events continue to increase every year as more towns, villages and schools become involved. One of the towns participating with its first St Piran's day procession and shop window competition was Falmouth.

Perranporth / Falmouth / Perranporth

Truro

Truro / Bodmin

Redruth

Falmouth

Summary Report of February 2012 Gorsedd Council Meeting

Twenty-three Council Members attended the meeting which was held at The Quaker Meeting House in Truro.

Once again, a strong emphasis was placed on getting youth involvement and this sentiment was echoed by members of the Celtic Congress whose theme for this year’s conference will be ‘Youth’.

Good news came from Rod Lyon who reported that, although the BBC had had to make cutbacks, his Cornish Language radio programme remains safe at present.

The Admissions Secretary reported a decision to invite 17 people to become bards this year and the Council noted with delight the amount of sponsorship received for the Holyer an Gof publishing awards.

A preliminary report was presented with an aim to revamp the yearly Gorsedd competitions which are open to all and recommendations should be ready by the April meeting. The need for better publicity was also discussed.

All Cornish schools are to be surveyed in the coming weeks to see what they are planning for St Piran’s Day and bards are urged to contact their local school to encourage cultural events.

Preparations for the Open Gorsedd ceremony in Camelford are well under way. This year there will be a civic parade in the morning as well as the main event in the afternoon on Saturday 1st September. The Proclamation will take place in the morning on April 21st.

Gathering of Cornish Cousins

Bards from all over North America attended the bi-ennial Gathering of Cornish Cousins in Mineral Point, Wisconsin in August 2011. The highlight of this four-day event was planned to be the Bardic Ceremony which was to be held on the lawns in front of the grand Gundry House on the edge of town.

Bard Howard Curnow, had been asked by Grand Bard Mick Paynter, to lead the proceedings, which they had scripted for the occasion back in Cornwall. However the visiting Bard from Cornwall, who has been to Mineral Point more than 20 times, was also enlisted as Town Crier and so, in the tail-end of a heat-wave, he paraded the (sheltered side of the) steep streets of the Town, announcing both the Ceremony and the (very successful) performance, in the newly-refurbished theatre, of 'The Cry of Tin'. This was led by fellow Bard, Eleanor Kenitzer - Steren an Cleth - who brought men from her Californian Grass Valley Choir to perform the different roles.

Expectations were rising as the final hour approached before the outdoor Ceremony by the Bards, but the Good Lord had other plans. He opened the Heavens, and in that one hour, five inches of rain fell on Mineral Point, leading folks to think that the Mississippi itself had been diverted.

Undaunted (as in Helston three weeks later) the Bards carried on with their Ceremony, out of respect for the planning, the expectations of the general public and so as not to disappoint the beautiful Lady of Flowers, Krystal Blabaum, who had learned her speech in Kernewek to perfection, a shortened Cermony went ahead (in the hotel dining room). Of course Krystal stole the show, but many comments of appreciation were voiced as this Cornish American Heritage Society Gathering, in this old lead-mining town with its rows of Cornish houses, came to a successful conclusion.

Kernow

Gorsedh Kernow (The Cornish Gorsedd) is being held at Camelford this year on Saturday 1st September. To coincide with the event, the Gorsedd's Archive and Publications Committee is working with the Old Cornwall Societies of Bude, Camelford, Padstow and Wadebridge, to produce a collection of short biographies of Bards who had some connection with the surrounding area. This book will be launched at the end of August 2012 during the week prior to the Gorsedd.

If you feel you can help in any way, then please contact the following Old Cornwall Societies:

Bude, - (Audrey Aylmer), Camelford - (Rod Keat), Padstow - (John Buckingham) and Wadebridge - (Helen Rawe)

or

Ann Jenkin -
An Gernyk, Fordh an Chapel, Leedstown, Hayle, Cornwall
Tel: