A Visit from America…Taylor University students seek out the true Dylan Thomas.

In his last few years, Dylan entertained hundreds of American students on his great but gruelling reading tours of America. He famously wrote a humorous piece on his experiences of the USA tours called  A Visit to America.

Due to his popularity and legacy, we at his Birthplace are too, becoming very used to hosting travelling American college and university groups.

One such group was the one which consisted of students and faculty members from Taylor University, Indiana, USA whom we had the pleasure of hosting recently.

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The group from the English department, are currently on an off campus study tour which combines reading of major British authors (Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginia Woolf, and others) and extensive sightseeing. Most of the trip is spent in London, with the class also travelling to other locations of literary significance. In this case they have chosen to look at Dylan Thomas and his Ugly, lovely town of Swansea.

The collection of culture vultures (as Dylan would term them) naturally acknowledged the importance of 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, the house of his birth and where a near two-thirds of the writer’s incredible works were painstakingly crafted from the snug confines of his tiny bedroom.

We wish them well on their travels and urge them, do not go gentle when exploring the works of Wales’ most renowned writer but to dive in head first!

Take a look at our website www.dylanthomasbirthplace.com for details on how you can create your own unique experiences including tours, overnight stays and dining experiences at the home of Dylan Thomas, Wales’ most renowned writer!

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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…)

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…)

Published in: on 6 April, 2010 at 10:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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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…)

Ospreys squeeze home but what would Dylan have made of it?

Rugby is very much part of Welsh life but Dylan was never known to be much of a fan – cricket was his sport – well, watching it was!

He spent many hours at St Helen’s Ground watching Glamorgan and became great friends with the great cricket commentator John Arlott. Arlott was also a radio producer and used Dylan for many performances on (more…)

Published in: on 2 April, 2010 at 11:16 pm  Leave a Comment  

Canadian Writers Journey to Dylan’s Home

Canadians at tea

Evelyn Hannon (left) of journeywoman.com and welsh Blue Badge guide Bill O''Keefe are among the guests taking afternoon tea at Dylan Thomas Birth House

We recently welcomed a group of Canadian writers to the house and they were amazed by the attention to detail of the conversion.

Among them was Evelyn Hannon who is the webmaster of the hugely successful Journey Woman website. Her travel experience is vast and the website emails thousands of subscribers each week making it one of the largest and most influential in North America. (more…)