List of winners of the Chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales

This is a list of winners of the Chair prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Since the National Eisteddfod began to be held, in the late 19th century, specially designed chairs have been awarded to the winning poet, for their work of cynghanedd poetry. The ceremony is one of the main highlights of the National Eisteddfod.

Notable events include the first award in 1876. The winner, Thomas Jones, had died a few weeks earlier and the chair was draped in black cloth in his absence.

A similar event occurred in 1917 when the winner of the Chair, Hedd Wyn, had been killed a few weeks earlier in World War I. In the poet's absence the chair was draped in black cloth. His poetry and his death came to represent the futility of war.

In 1976 Dic Jones' poetry was chosen as the winner. However, when his identity was revealed he was disqualified because he was a member of the Eisteddfod's Literature Panel. The Chair was awarded instead to a "reluctant" Alan Llwyd.

Winners of the chair at the National Eisteddfod Year LocationPoemPoetBardic name 1876 Wrexham Thomas Jones Taliesin o Eifion 1877 Caernarfon William Roberts (Porthmadog) Gwilym Eryri 1880 Caernarfon W B Joseph Y Myfyr 1881 Merthyr Tydfil Evan Rees Dyfed 1882 Denbigh No winner 1883 Cardiff No winner 1884 Liverpool Evan Rees Dyfed 1885 Aberdare Watkin Hesekiah Williams Watcyn Wyn 1886 Caernarfon Richard Davies Tafolog 1887 London Robert Arthur Williams 1888 Wrexham Thomas Jones Tudno 1889 Brecon Evan Rees Dyfed 1890 Bangor Thomas Jones Tudno 1891 Swansea John Owen Williams Pedrog 1892 Rhyl Evan Jones Gurnos 1893 Pontypridd J Ceulanydd Williams 1894 Caernarfon H. Elvet Lewis Elfed 1895 Llanelli John Owen Williams Pedrog 1896 Llandudno Ben Davies 1897 Newport J. T. Job Job 1898 Blaenau Ffestiniog R. O. Hughes Elfyn 1899 Cardiff No winner 1900 Liverpool John Owen Williams Pedrog 1901 Merthyr Tydfil Evan Rees Dyfed 1902 Bangor T. Gwynn Jones 1903 Llanelli John Thomas Job Job 1904 Rhyl Machreth Rees 1905 Mountain Ash No winner 1906 Caernarfon J. J. Williams 1907 Swansea T Davies 1908 Llangollen J J Williams 1909 London T. Gwynn Jones 1910 Colwyn Bay R. Williams Parry 1911 Carmarthen Gwilym Ceiriog 1912 Wrexham T. H. Parry-Williams 1913 Abergavenny T J Thomas Sarnicol 1914 Not held: First World War N/A N/A N/A 1915 Bangor T H Parry-Williams 1916 Aberystwyth J Ellis Williams 1917 Birkenhead Ellis Evans Hedd Wyn 1918 Neath J T Job Job 1919 Corwen Cledlyn Davies 1920 Barry No winner 1921 Caernarfon R J Rowlands 1922 Ammanford John Lloyd-Jones 1923 Mold Cledlyn Davies 1924 Pontypool Albert Evans-Jones Cynan 1925 Pwllheli Dewi Morgan 1926 Swansea D. Gwenallt Jones Gwenallt 1927 Holyhead No winner 1928 Treorchy No winner 1929 Liverpool Dewi Emrys 1930 Llanelli Dewi Emrys 1931 Bangor D. Gwenallt Jones 1932 Aberafan Daniel John Davies (D.J. Davies) 1933 Wrexham Edgar Phillips Trefin 1934 Neath W Morris 1935 Caernarfon Gwyndaf Evans 1936 Fishguard Simon B Jones 1937 Machynlleth T. Rowland Hughes 1938 Cardiff Gwilym R Jones 1939 Denbigh No winner 1940 Mountain Ash (radio) Thomas Rowland Hughes 1941 Old Colwyn Rowland Jones 1942 Cardigan No winner 1943 Bangor Dewi Emrys 1944 Llandybie D Lloyd Jenkins 1945 Rhos T Parry Jones 1946 Mountain Ash Geraint Bowen 1947 Colwyn Bay John Eilian 1948 Bridgend Dewi Emrys 1949 Dolgellau Rowland Jones 1950 Caerphilly Gwilym Tilsley | Tilsli 1951 Llanrwst Brinley Richards 1952 Aberystwyth John Evans 1953 Rhyl E Lloyd Williams 1954 Ystradgynlais John Evans 1955 Pwllheli G Ceri Jones 1956 Aberdare Mathonwy Hughes 1957 Llangefni Gwilym Tilsley 1958 Ebbw Vale T. Llew Jones 1959 Caernarfon T Llew Jones 1960 Cardiff No winner 1961 Rhosllanerchrugog Emrys Edwards 1962 Llanelli Caradog Pritchard 1963 Llandudno No winner 1964 Swansea R Bryn Williams 1965 Newtown W D Williams 1966 Aberafan Dic Jones Dic yr Hendre 1967 Bala Emrys Roberts 1968 Barry R Bryn Williams 1969 Flint James Nicholas 1970 Ammanford Tomi Evans 1971 Bangor Emrys Roberts 1972 Haverfordwest Dafydd Owen 1973 Ruthin Alan Llwyd Meilir Emrys Owen 1974 Carmarthen Moses Glyn Jones 1975 Criccieth Gerallt Lloyd Owen 1976 Cardigan Alan Llwyd Meilir Emrys Owen 1977 Wrexham Donald Evans 1978 Cardiff No winner 1979 Caernarfon No winner 1980 Lliw Valley Donald Evans 1981 Machynlleth John Gwilym Jones 1982 Swansea Gerallt Lloyd Owen 1983 Anglesey Einion Evans 1984 Lampeter Aled Rhys Wiliam 1985 Rhyl Robat Powell 1986 Fishguard Gwynn ap Gwilym 1987 Porthmadog Ieuan Wyn 1988 Newport Elwyn Edwards 1989 Llanrwst Idris Reynolds 1990 Rhymney Valley Myrddin ap Dafydd 1991 Mold Robin Llwyd ab Owain 1992 Aberystwyth Idris Reynolds 1993 Llanelwedd Meirion MacIntyre Huws 1994 Neath Emyr Lewis 1995 Abergele Tudur Dylan Jones 1996 Llandeilo R O Williams 1997 Bala Ceri Wyn Jones 1998 Bridgend No winner 1999 Anglesey Gwenallt Llwyd Ifan 2000 Llanelli Llion Jones 2001 Denbigh Mererid Hopwood 2002 St David's Myrddin ap Dafydd 2003 Meifod Twm Morys 2004 Newport Huw Meirion Edwards 2005 Snowdonia Tudur Dylan Jones 2006 Swansea Gwynfor ab Ifor 2007 Flintshire T. James Jones 2008 Cardiff Hilma Ll. Edwards 2009 Meirion No winner 2010 Blaenau Gwent and heads of the valleys Tudur Hallam 2011 Wrexham Rhys Iorwerth 2012 Vale of Glamorgan Dylan Iorwerth 2013 Denbighshire No winner 2014 Carmarthenshire Ceri Wyn Jones 2015 Montgomery and borderlands Hywel Griffiths 2016 Monmouthshire Aneirin Karadog 2017 Anglesey Osian Rhys Jones 2018 Cardiff Gruffudd Eifion Owen 2019 Llanrwst T. James Jones 2020Not held: COVID-19 pandemicN/AN/AN/A2021"Eisteddfod AmGen" (on-line virtual eisteddfod)DeffroGwenallt Llwyd Ifan2022TregaronTraethLlŷr Gwyn LewisCnwt Gwirion2023Llŷn ac EifionyddLlifAlan Llwyd Meilir Emrys Owen2024Rhondda Cynon TafCadwynCarwyn Eckley Brynmair2025WrexhamTudur Hallam 2026PembrokeshireLlinell / LlinellauEmyr Lewis

Multiple wins +NameNumber of winsYearsEvan Rees41881, 1884, 1889, 1901Thomas Jones31876, 1888, 1890John Evans21952, 1954John Owen Williams31891, 1895, 1900Alan Llwyd31973, 1976, 2023T Gwyn Jones21902, 1909JJ Williams21906, 1908TH Parry Williams21912, 1915Cledlyn Davies21919, 1923D Gwenallt Jones21926, 1931Dewi Emrys41929, 1930, 1943, 1948T. Rowland Hughes21937, 1940Rowland Jones21941, 1949Gwilym Tilsley21950, 1957T Llew Jones21958, 1959R Bryn Williams21964, 1968Emrys Roberts21967, 1971Gerallt Lloyd Owen21975, 1982Donald Evans21977, 1980Idris Reynolds21989, 1992Tudur Dylan Jones21995, 2005Ceri Wyn Jones21997, 2014T James Jones22007, 2019Gwenallt Llwyd Ifan21999, 2021Tudur Hallam22010, 2025Emyr Lewis21994, 2026

References