“The secret was out. One of the greatest poets of the 20th century was one of our own.”
That is how Gillian Clarke, who has served as the national poet of Wales since 2008, recalls her first real encounter with the work of Dylan Thomas. She was listening to a broadcast of Under Milk Wood, Thomas’s 1950s radio drama about the fictional village of Llareggub — a playful name that hints at the author’s irreverent humor.
“It was one of the turning points that reset the course of my life,” Clarke said while preparing for Dylan Thomas 100, a year-long programme marking the 100th anniversary of the poet’s birth on Oct. 27. “I knew those people, recognized the way they spoke, heard my Carmarthenshire grandmother, aunts and uncles in the habits and humour of their speech.”
The Welsh government is coordinating Dylan Thomas 100 with communities and organisations across Wales to celebrate the poet’s life and influence. The festival features a broad programme of theatre, visual arts, comedy, television, film and exhibitions in Wales and internationally. Highlights include:
Dylan Weekends: Weekend festivals in Laugharne, the seaside town where Thomas lived from 1949 until his death in 1953.
A Dylan Odyssey: Events and trips organised by Literature Wales, such as kayaking from Laugharne to Llansteffan, jazz and beat-poetry evenings in Oxford, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Museum Wales.
Dylanathon: A photographic marathon celebrating Thomas’s life at his birthplace, 5 Cwmdonkin Drive in Swansea.
Dylan: Poetry and Jazz: An afternoon of music with the Jen Wilson Jazz Ensemble, accompanied by readings from Dylan Thomas specialist and poet Peter Thabit Jones, hosted at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
A Portrait of the Artist: An exhibition of unconventional portraits at the Elysium Gallery exploring the artist as lead actor or director, protagonist or antagonist, and the tensions of an uncertain future.
A Child’s Christmas in Wales: A stage production of Thomas’s nostalgic recollection of a childhood Christmas, brought to life for contemporary audiences.
The full programme and event calendar for Dylan Thomas 100 is available at dylanthomas100.org, offering details on dates, venues and ticketing for the many celebrations honoring one of Wales’s most cherished literary figures.