Bangor was founded by Saint Deiniol in 525 AD. He was a prominent figure in early medieval Welsh Christianity and the founder of the monastic community at Bangor. Saint Deiniol has been celebrated in poetry, religious writings and stained-glass windows across Wales, a testament to his lasting influence on the region.
The day will include discussions and presentations on how St Deiniol and the Cathedral inspired poets in Wales throughout the ages. Attendees will hear about notable poets closely connected with the Cathedral, including Edmwnd Prys (1542–1623) and Goronwy Owen (1723–1769), both clergymen commemorated in Capel Mair within the Cathedral.
There will also be talks about the fourteenth-century poet Dafydd ap Gwilym, who visited the Cathedral several times. Musical settings of his poems will be performed during the day.
In the year that Bangor and its Cathedral celebrate 1500 years, it is fitting to mark the anniversary with a conference exploring the Cathedral’s connections and influence on the cultural life of Wales. We will look at clergy who were also poets, and at the ways Deiniol and his Cathedral have inspired poets, artists and musicians over the centuries and continue to do so today.
Deiniol was the personification of Bangor and its diocese, and he is often mentioned by medieval Welsh writers. I will discuss how he was remembered in literature and what he meant to different writers at different times. I hope my talk will offer some insight into the richness of medieval writing about the saints in Wales.
I’m looking forward to being part of the day, exploring aspects of the history of Bangor Cathedral and the devotion to St Deiniol reflected in imagery across Wales. Many such images can be found in nineteenth- and twentieth-century sculpture and stained glass, examples of which remain in the Cathedral today. Over the years, I have visited the Cathedral many times as part of my research on stained glass in Wales and the imagery of Welsh saints. I hope my contribution to Deiniol a Diwylliant will encourage a deeper appreciation of the Cathedral’s stained glass, and of the ways Deiniol has been portrayed by different artists over the centuries.
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