Last week was the start of the festival season in and around Wales and I could not have witnessed two more diverse events only 50 miles or so apart.
Remember that I’m writing this in the knowledge that, although Dylan spoke only English, (more…)
Bob Zimmerman, Dylan and John Lennon – what’s in a name?
Oh dear – I’ve just offended an American!
I stumbled across a blog called the Ten Minute Ramble with some videos of Bob Dylan and just pointed out that he took his name from our own Dylan.
If I did! (more…)
Under 30? Written any published work? Want £30,000?
CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR 2010 DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE
Third award of world’s biggest literary prize for young writers
Entries are being invited for the world’s biggest literary award for young writers – the £30,000 ($45,000) Dylan Thomas Prize – which will be awarded for the third time in December 2010 to the best published work in the English language by an author under the age of 30 from any country in the world. (more…)
Dylan death sculptor dies
Sculptor Peter Nicholas with the head of Dylan which will form part of a new sculpture in the Uplands by 2014
The announcement today of the death at 95 of David Slivka who sculpted Dylan’s death mask brings to an end another link with the writer.
Both were born on 27th October 1914 and celebrated their 39th birthdays just days before Dylan died in a New York hospital on 9th November 1953.
Four years after Dylan’s death he made five bronze busts. Two are now in America, one in the National Museum of Wales, one in the BBC Headquarters and the fifth in the Dylan Thomas Centre. (more…)
Easter events – which one would Dylan choose?
Easter always seems a bit on a non event as a Bank Holiday weekend. The promised sun never seems to materialise and this year it was rain and cold winds to make it feel more like December.
While the beaches and attractions suffered we were ones to gain with a steady flow of house tours. I got me wondering which of the events of the weekend would Dylan have chosen? (more…)
Youtube video captures spirit of Number 5
Join Dylan for breakfast
“…the most inspirational house in Wales…”
Leading European writer Eric Verdonck and his Welsh guide John Wake stayed at Number 5 during Eric’s visit to research a book about Wales.
John’s video is accompanied by evocative music from the group Osian whose lead singer Lorraine King joined them on part of their stay.
Like Dylan we have had a period of inactivity!
Particularly towards the end of his life Dylan Thomas has periods when the words never came. Actually, that’s not strictly true – the words of his poetry didn’t come but his film scripts and his radio work gave him new life – and money!
That is why the Dylan Thomas Prize accepts entries in all the genres that Dylan worked – fiction, short stories, poetry collections, film and media scripts. It was strange then to hear that Tessa Dahl (she’s the one squashed between Roald and Sophie) at the launch of the Prize in Boston on St David’s Day question whether you could differentiate and find a winner. (more…)
First impressions
I first saw inside 5 Cwmdonkin Drive in October 2003 when the house was open to visitors during the Dylan Thomas Festival on the 50th anniversary of his death.
At the time the house was leased to City and County of Swansea. As I walked up to the door I didn’t really know what to expect. The outside had the same drab, down at heel look as it done for many years before. (more…)
Our Vision
Dylan Thomas is the most famous son of Swansea. A bold claim as there are so many others with claim to the crown but Thomas has a lasting appeal with the legend starting during his own lifetime.
His birthplace – long neglected just as Dylan has been in his home town - is due for restoration and return to its former glory.
