Mererid Hopwood

Who is Mererid Hopwood?

Mererid Hopwood is a Welsh poet who made history in 2001 by becoming the first woman ever to win the bardic Chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

Originally from Cardiff, Hopwood graduated with first-class honours in Spanish and German from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was a Lecturer in German at the University of Wales, Swansea,as well as being a Creative Writing tutor in the Welsh Department since 2002. She has been a Spanish teacher in Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin Carmarthen until January 2010, and now Dr Hopwood is currently a Lecturer in Trinity University of Carmarthen. Also in 2003 she won the crown at the National Eisteddfod in Meifod, and in 2008 she was awarded the Eisteddfod's Prose Medal for her book O Ran. She is also an S4C presenter. She now lives in Carmarthen, with her husband and 3 children Hanna, Miriam and Llewelyn.

In August 2009, Hopwood was nominated as a candidate for the position of Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, following the death of Dic Jones. It was the first time a woman had been nominated. In November she decided to withdraw from the contest, leaving T. James Jones to fill the vacancy.