In a writing career spanning five decades, RS Thomas wrote over twenty volumes of poetry, was nominated for a Nobel Prize, and among many literary acolades was awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry.
Equally prolific as a campaigner, he was a fervent Welsh patriot and spoke out on issues such as holiday homes, the Welsh language and nuclear disarmament.
Born in Cardiff, Ronald Stuart Thomas graduated from Bangor University and received theological training in Llandaff before being ordained as a priest in 1936. His writing career began in the Second World War during his time as a rector in Powys, and he took it upon himself to learn Welsh.
Though his poetry would mainly be written in English, he also produced Welsh verse, and became a passionate voice supporting the language.
Thomas was vicar of St Michael's Church, Eglwysfach from 1954 - 1967 during one of his most creative periods.
It is true to say that he came thinking he would be in a more Welsh district than when he had been in Manafon near the English border.
He had also felt a particularly strong attraction to this area of outstanding natural beauty within the Dyfi estuary which nestles between Cader Idris to the north and Plynlimon to the South.
These days many visitors come to the RSPB reserve at Ynyshir but in 1954 it was privately owned by a philanthropist, W H Mappin and there was immediate rapport between the two men.
This enabled Thomas to indulge another great interest, birdwatching over the saltings and in the woods of this large estate.
He wanted to make big changes to the church which received some opposition.
In the end agreement was reached: the recently installed stained glass windows in the church remained and the church was painted the striking black and white which it is today.
In 1978, RS Thomas retired to live in the Llyn Peninsula in north Wales. But his popularity continued with collected editions of his work, and his profile remained as prominent as ever due to his outspoken republican views.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he attracted controversy when he went on record to support the arsonists who firebombed English-owned holiday homes in Wales, claiming that English speakers were destroying the Welsh language and culture.
RS Thomas died in 2000, but his legacy lives on, helped by the study centre which bears his name at Bangor University.
In 2008 parishoners at Eglwysfach decided to hold an R S Thomas Poetry Festival on 19 and 20 July in the church, place a plaque in his memory in the porch and to hold a New Book Sale (with books in the main donated by The Book People) in the 'Iron Room' nearby.
Find out about the R.S. Thomas poetry festival...
One of Wales's finest poets, with a career spanning fifty years.
