It's lights, camera, action as Eisteddfod gets under way

Over the coming week Welsh language and culture will be celebrated at The National Eisteddfod in Newport.

The site at Tredegar House will host around 300 stands and exhibitions and over 200 competitions, including many Gwent participants.

It is Europe's largest cultural festival and 150,000 people are expected to pass through the gates.

At the opening ceremony R. Alun Evans, the chairman of the Eisteddfod Court, said: "This is one of the most beautiful sites throughout the whole of Wales that the Eisteddfod has visited. It's a pleasure to return here. It will raise awareness of Welsh language and culture."

A choir from local Welsh school Gyfun Gwynllyw started the festival. Pupil Llinos Burnhill, 15, of Two Locks, Cwmbran, said: "We sang about Newport and the return of the Eisteddfod after 16 years. I'm very passionate about the language and I will be here every day."

Over 1,000 spectators watched the opening ceremony in the main pavilion - which is at the heart of the 30-acre site.

Newport mayor Paul Cockeram spoke in Welsh to offer a "warm welcome from the newest city in Wales."

John Griffiths AM and Paul Flynn MP also gave speeches in Welsh and talked of the growing Welsh identity in Newport and Gwent.

A mock John Frost then introduced a string of Gwent acts, including Maindee Festival, Panteg dancers, the Batatan drumming group, Newport Community Circus and Tredegar Band.

This year sees the return of the sale of alcohol to the site and organisers have tried to make it more attractive to non Welsh speakers.

Keith Jones, 62, a non Welsh speaker from Penhow, has volunteered to act as a steward for most of the week. He said: "It promotes Wales as well as Newport and I wanted to help out."

And Chris Green, a company director from Rogerstone, said: "I don't speak Welsh but anyone can enjoy it. You can walk around the stands and the site. It's a good showcase for our city status."

Fellow non Welsh speaker Newport councillor Bob Poole said: "It's very impressive and a much bigger event than in 1988. I hope to visit on four or five days and it can only be good for the city."

* OPTIMISM and exuberance were the keynotes as the National Eisteddfod at Newport broke, slowly at first but with increasing pace and rhythm, into its stride.

As dusk began to settle and the hopes and dreams of the organisers approached their final testing moments, the trickle of people walking towards the main performance marquee turned into a steady stream, Welsh and English tongues intermingled in natural and easy dialogue. There is perhaps, something about Tredegar House, the site of this year's Eisteddfod, that has a magic of its own. Swifts scythed the warm and sultry air, skimming the lichened stones which are a marker of the first Eisteddfod to which Tredegar was host over a century ago. The chosen Maes is an oasis of tranquility, a place blessed with a certain style and grace that few other industrial cities are able to muster.

As the final preparations were made to receive the tens of thousands who are expected to visit the Maes, or ground, the talk was of how magnificent the setting into which the jewel of Welsh culture had been set. If there was an added air of expectation among the Eisteddfod organisers this year, it was that determined attempts to win more English speakers should show tangible signs of success. In this, they could not have been disappointed.

Mrs Pauline Rose, from Risca, an English speaker, said: "It has to be admitted that the numbers in the main performance marquee is disappointing for an opening night, but all of us are looking forward to a thrilling evening and I don't think we are going to be disappointed."

Her sister, Heather Johnstone, from Crosskeys, said she had taken part in several Eisteddfod fund-raising events and was a keen supporter.

"I have seen quite a few people in the crowd who I know. The Eisteddfod is being held in Newport but there are a lot of people from the Valleys who have come tonight or intend to visit the enormous number of events planned for the rest of the week.

"The organisers have done just about as much as they can and I can't fault the people on the field. My sister was hobbling a bit and a chap stopped in a Jeep and gave her a lift all the way to the main performance tent. That's the sort of thing that makes friends for the Eisteddfod."

The opening night audience might have been sparse - only a third of the seats were filled as Eisteddfod and civic dignitaries began to make their opening speeches - but there was plenty of evidence that the event has touched a sympathetic spot.

As the spectators began to gather for the opening ceremony a peal of bells burst forth, ringing a joyful quarter-peal from the tower of St Woolos Cathedral.

"We contacted the Eisteddfod and told them that we would like to contribute. We felt the best way of doing this was with a quarter peal of what us bellringers call Grandsire Caters," said Mrs Pip Penney, whose husband, Dr Mike Penney, is also a member of Llandaff and Monmouth Association of Church Bell Ringers.

It may be that, purely in terms of numbers attending, the first night left something to be hoped for.

But the beauty of the setting, and triumphant pealing rang out loud and clear the message that much is to be hoped for and that with enough faith and hard work, much will doubtless be achieved.