New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26
GATHERING OF WELSH RESIDENTS.

OBSERVING OLD NATIONAL CUsToMs-AN EIsrKDD-
FoD IN ASSOCIATION HALL-pRlzEs AND ADJ
DRESSES
The Welsh of this CITY passed Christmas Day in a
way peculiarly their own. They met i'll large num-
bers at Association Hall and held an Eisteddfod or
musical and literary festival where Welsh was
almost exclusively spoken aud where the songs OF
Wales sung.
The Fisteddfods date back to ancient days, when
there were three classes of public nstructors-poets
musicians and theoogians or philosophers. These
three classes at certain times came together to ex-
change views and TO cultivate their tastes in the
different departments of aesthetic culture These
meetings which were called Eistddfods, have never
died out in Wales.
Yesterdays Eiste{dfDd consisted of an afternoon
and an evening meeting, each lasting about two
hours and a half In the afternoon the Rev. Dr. H.
ID. Bevan of the Brick Church, was conductor. and
X. Williams. jr., chairman while at the even
ing meeting Postmaster James, although only
Welshman by extraction, presided. Over 600 Welsh
residents of NcwYork, it'll their wives and children,
all neatly dressed and with beaming faces thronged
the hall between 23O and 3. The platform was
occupied by DR.. Bevan Mr.. Williams. the Rev. Dr.
HUMPHREYS, OF the Thirteenth street Welsh Chapel.
the Rev. w. c. Roberts and w. b. Jones' adjudi-
Gators on essays; Professor Thomas y Dawes adIi-
dlcator On muslca mpOstions /. j. Davies, j. l..
Dawes and Evan Dawes, adludlcators on music IL.
q. Jones aGiudlcatOT on knitting; anu Df. Henry
larry adiud Gator on writing desks
Mr. VII lams opened the meeting with the salu-
tatO1y address in Welsh. which was followed bv
lew remarks IN English bY Dr. BcNan, VINO eX-
palned the significance of Welsh EiSiedgOdS, and
spoke of their excellent influence On the national
character. Dr. van spoke IN English because be
had lost his lueucv in the Welsh tongue lie was,
however. none the less appiauded by his hearers.
The first adjudication Wds upon two welsh poems
ON the Death of LcOnidas,' that beng ire subject
given ont for composition. The puz', consisting OF
n sum of money, was announced 10 be won by Brnl-
fan Pyr. None knew who Bruhan Pyr was until
the Rev. DR.. Humpnres arose ana ella med the
authorship vi the poem. Inc audience, which was
chiefly composed of his own parishOners, then made
the building almost Tcmbe with their applause.
The second adjudication was on tTansa-
ton into WeiSH of WashlngtOns Farewell Ad-
dress the prIze III this case beng awarded
10 John L. Jones' The most interesting Oh
the following adludicatOns were those on TIE cho-
ru, OF little girls, and the solos duets aud quar-
tets Of adults. The little guls-none OF them over
ten year of age->ang the Welsh song hde
F1pg}dV yp NdjJc' with much harmony, undef the
leaders tip of Owen Ellis Owen. Between each adj
indication Dr. Beyau pleased the audience with his
WHY remarks on different subjects
ne evening meeting, at Wluch Postmaster James
occupied the char. well attended a. the one
IN the afternoon. aud many Il sturdy Neishman and
a smiling Welsh NOmdn was made nappl by recclV,
iug prize tor is Der Efforts ID art, literature ana
hand KNIT stockings,