Gorsedh Kernow announces host town for 2023
Gorsedh Kernow and Padstow Town Council are pleased to announce that Padstow will be the host town for the annual Esedhvos and Gorsedh ceremony in September 2023. The Gorsedh ceremony takes place on the first Saturday of September and is preceded by the Esedhvos Kernow, a celebration of Cornish culture and of the host town.
The last Gorsedh visit was in 1951.
Further information on Gorsedh Kernow
Gorsedh Kernow exists to maintain the national Celtic Spirit of Cornwall and to give expression to such spirit. It supports and promotes Cornish cultural activity, including the study of Cornish history and literature, the Cornish language, Cornish art, music, dance and sport and encourages links with other Celtic countries. The Esedhvos festival includes the annual awards for adults and young people.
Gorsedh Kernow’s Esedhvos Festival of Cornish Culture, which includes the bardic ceremony where new bards are initiated, will be held in and around Padstow in the first week of September with the main bardic ceremony taking place on Saturday 2 September 2023.
For further information about Gorsedh Kernow please visit the website www.gorsedhkernow.org.uk
Launch of Gorsedh Kernow Awards 2023
The Gorsedh Kernow Awards celebrate and honour those who demonstrate the Celtic spirit of Cornwall in creativity or community work and it is open to anyone to nominate. The scheme caters for all ages, with Young People’s’ Awards up to age 18, and Adults’ Awards and Certificates of Recognition. Last year saw a record number of nominations and submissions. This year’s deadline of 23rd April gives plenty of time to nominate someone, or submit work, this year. Last year saw Awen medals awarded at a special evening at the Hayle Esedhvos for an impressive array of creative and community work across Cornwall. Winners included Mary Ann Bloomfield and the community of St. Just for the splendid staging of the Ordnalia, Helen Tiplady and the Hall for Cornwall Youth Theatre, and Roger Gool for a lifetime’s dedication to the Padstow carols. Certificates of Recognition were given for new creative work – from poetry to song- in Cornish and English, on Cornish heritage, and for new films. Who will be honoured this year?
These awards are agreed by a panel whose judgments are informed by specialist adjudicators but candidates are nominated by the public. If you have been inspired or impressed by an outstanding contribution to Cornish community or culture made by an individual or group you can nominate them for a Gorsedh Kernow Award. This may be someone, or a group, whose creative or community work has promoted, embodied, or demonstrated the Celtic spirit of Cornwall for a considerable time or in an exceptional way. Winners will be awarded the prestigious Awen Medal, specially designed and made from Cornish tin.
You can also enter your own work for recognition by Gorsedh Kernow’s specialist adjudicators. Successful submissions will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition and may, in exceptional circumstances, be awarded an Awen medal. Adults can submit work in Cornish language writing, Cornish dialect writing, Cornish study, and Creative Work which enables individuals or groups to submit evidence of their own project (such as an exhibition, new song, craft or performance). Published books should be submitted instead to the Gorsedh Kernow Holyer an Gof Awards scheme.
Details of how to nominate someone for an award, to submit your own work for recognition, and of the Young People’s awards, are available on the Gorsedh Kernow website at https://gorsedhkernow.org.uk/awards/.
All winners are invited to a presentation evening, with entertainment, and exhibition at the September Esedhvos Festival of Culture in Padstow.
If you would like more information on the Gorsedh Kernow Awards, please email awards@gorsedhkernow.org.uk.
Gorsedh Kernow Proclamation 22nd April 2023
Gorsedh Kernow Proclamation 22.04.23
Update: 21.04.23: Due to the weather forecast the decision has been taken to cancel the procession into town. The ceremony will still take place to mark the special occasion, but due to venue capacity there will be limited access.
On Saturday 22nd April Gorsedh Kernow will hold the Proclamation. On this day a procession of Bards will form on Church Street and proceed to the bandstand in Padstow, coming down via Duke Street. The procession will start just after 10am, with the ceremony taking place at around 10.30am for approximately half an hour before the procession re-forms and leaves the area. This ceremony is to announce the forthcoming event in September. Please be aware there will be temporary traffic delays around 9.45am-11.30am in the area.
We hope people enjoy watching this Celtic ceremony and procession. You can find out more about Gorsedh Kernow at https://gorsedhkernow.org.uk/
