{"id":2464,"date":"2017-11-06T10:41:20","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T10:41:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/alumni\/?p=2464"},"modified":"2023-03-22T12:40:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T12:40:29","slug":"my-cardiff-is-welsh-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/alumni\/2017\/11\/06\/my-cardiff-is-welsh-for-all\/","title":{"rendered":"My Cardiff is\u2026 Welsh for all"},"content":{"rendered":"

Professor Sioned Davies (BA 1976)<\/span>\u00a0Professor, translator and former Head of Cardiff University\u2019s School of Welsh.<\/p>\n

\u00a0“<\/em>I never intended to study Welsh. I arrived at Cardiff University in 1973; I had been accepted to do joint honours in French and German. But I was persuaded to take Welsh as a third subject. It seemed inconsequential at the time, but I haven\u2019t looked back since.<\/p>\n

“Coming to Cardiff was very exciting for a girl brought up in rural mid-Wales. Under Miss Howe\u2019s eagle eye in Aberdare Hall, I quickly made lifelong friends and settled into student life, from wild Saturday nights in Mont Merence, Tito\u2019s and Qui Qui\u2019s to the more sedate 9 o\u2019clock lectures on the Latin element in the Welsh language. I even risked the Welsh Department\u2019s wrath when I sneaked off to Paris, to watch Wales play \u2013 and beat \u2013 France at rugby.<\/p>\n

“After graduating, I spent three years at Oxford. But Cardiff lured me back; I\u2019ve been here lecturing since 1979 \u2013 that\u2019s testimony in itself to the appeal of what has blossomed into a vibrant, cosmopolitan city.<\/p>\n

“Much has changed. I\u2019ve worked under five Vice Chancellors, been Assistant Dean of a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and seen the School of Welsh adapt to the changing demands of the 21st century.<\/p>\n

“Most recently, the development of the Welsh for All programme has enabled hundreds of students, both home and international, to learn Welsh at Cardiff.<\/p>\n

“The enthusiasm and dedication of the staff \u2013 each one willing to go the extra mile to support students and each other – mean it has been a real privilege to lead the School for over 20 years.<\/p>\n

“I intend to return to lecture, but now I have a year\u2019s study leave to continue my work on the tales of the Mabinogion. Among other things I\u2019ll be examining how these stories were re-created, with illustrations, for 19th and early 20th century audiences.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s true to say that over the past 40 years, Cardiff University has played a key role in my life.”<\/p>\n

Sioned\u2019s translation of the Mabinogion – one of Wales’ greatest contributions to European literature – was originally intended primarily for academic use. However, its accessibility has led to a revival of interest well beyond academia. National Poet of Wales Gwyneth Lewis (Hon 2005) says: \u201cThe translation has changed what\u2019s possible for writers in both Welsh and English, in Wales and beyond.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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