A packed hall and a fine line-up of speakers ensured that the tribute evening to Llandysilio bard, Ernest Llwyd Williams, was a great success.

A nationally crowned and chaired bard in the 1950s, Llwyd was born in Llandysilio. He journeyed around Pembrokeshire talking with local people and recorded his travels in two informative books, which now give an interesting snapshot of Pembrokeshire life in the mid-20th century.

During the launch event of the Llên-dysilio Festival, the speakers included Eirwyn George, himself a nationally crowned bard, who spoke about Llwyd's poetry and his friendship with Waldo Williams. Rev. Eirian Wyn Lewis gave an account of Llwyd's life as a minister in Maesteg and Ammanford and author and broadcaster, Hefin Wyn, took the audience on a tour of Llwyd's Pembrokeshire.

In addition, Cerwyn Davies read humorous sections of Llwyd's travels in the county.

Llwyd's chair won in 1955 at the Glynneath Eisteddfod had been brought by a relative especially for the event. Adding to the evening was the world premiere of a hymn tune that had been specially composed by Geraint Davies and set to the words of one of Llwyd's poems.

On a musical note also, the members of Rhydwilym Chapel, who still chant sections of the bible in the ancient and traditional way (known as singing the Pwnc), demonstrated the art and everyone present on the evening learnt how to do it and joined in 'singing' a Psalm.

"This multi-faceted celebration evening brought culture and heritage together in a very special way," said Llên-dysilio Festival chairman, Rev. Huw M. George. "It was clearly evident on the evening that the historic Pwnc singing, the portrait of Llwyd's Pembrokeshire and his poetry will be passed on to the next and future generations and this was the aim of the Llên-dysilio Festival."

Llên-dysilio 2013 is a culture and heritage festival which took place on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22. It is the first of a series of annual festivals featuring different aspects of Llandysilio's culture and heritage. (Llên is the Welsh word for literature - Llwyd is the Welsh word for grey).