I've always said that North Wales is a great place to come from. I am a Holywellian, first and foremost, perhaps the last bastion of the Welsh language on Wales' North Eastern border.
I recently went back to my old school, Ysgol Gwenffrwd in Holywell, where I was greeted by a surging throng of Welsh emotion directed through the route of performance. The entire school stood up and sang a song together, when it came to the choruses they turned their attention to where I was standing and each sang the song directly at me. Gulp! I was floored, overwhelmed by the sheer force of the show. It seemed that these enthusiastic performers were no strangers to 'giving it all you got'.
I blame the Eisteddfod
Because of the nature of the work I do, I meet lots and lots of kids wherever I go, and often get to see them perform. More often than not, that 'performance' equates to no more than standing perfectly still, hands in pockets and mildly tuneful mumbling. Not so for the kids in Welsh schools, whose entire bodies swell with gusto as they do their thing. I blame the Eisteddfod, in a good way of course, surely the common practice in Wales of getting up and being expected to perform - as a matter of course - instils these kids with a confidence that would shame even professional American child actors. And yet when Welsh kids to sing/dance/act/recite they do it in a way that is entirely their own, none of the falseness or insincerity that you often see in young actors from stage schools. No, Welsh kids aren't taught how to perform, they are simply given the opportunity to, and encouraged to.
From the heart
I have always believed that my grounding in performance, through years of Eisteddfodau, both national and local has always stood me in good stead for doing my work as a TV presenter. And I believe that anyone brought up in Wales in the Eisteddfod culture has a distinct advantage over those who haven't. It is as character building as white-water rafting...and significantly less dangerous.
your comments
Carrington
Hello Gareth. My name is Sr Maria Renate. I am a Franciscan nun. I searching for a Roy Carrington, who lived in the Greenfields Housing Estate in the 1970s. I have not had any sucsess to tracing him. Do you recall anyone of that name (Carrington) in that locality?
Mon Mar 9 10:32:41 2009
Dave from Cwm
I think you are great, I loved you when you were in "How". It must have been great working with Carol Vorderman.
Stay Cool!
Tue Feb 13 09:18:59 2007
Tom from Holywell
I served you in the One Stop in greenfield once....I think...can you confirm you've been there? or am I insane?
Mon Oct 30 10:00:02 2006
Judith, Holywell
I think it was the Sunday School nativity shows that got Gareth hooked on performing really!!
Mon Mar 20 15:43:23 2006
sian owens o treffynnon mam danielle a jac
mae fy plant yn mynd i ysgol gwenffrwd ac yn cofio gareth yn mynd ir ysgol mae nhw wedi mwynhau cyfarfod rhwyn syth ar y teledu ac yn hoffi ysgol ac yn hoffi dysgu a siarad cymraeg imy children go to ysgol gwenffrwd and can remember when gareth came to school and they rememberd him coming to their school and they are happy they met somebody off the television and the love school and love to learn and speak the welsh language
Fri Mar 10 18:30:42 2006
D. Davies, ex Treffynon
I went to Ysgol Gwenffrwd with Gaz (we all called him Gareth then) and even then he had this certain thing about him that filled you with the same enthuasism as he had, glad to see a Holywell lad doing well for himself. PS if you are wondering who I am my father had the shoe shop, Gwyn Davies & son, hwyl rwan!
Fri Mar 3 17:24:40 2006
Rhiannon, Lincolnshire
I met Gaz when BBC Wales were doing their roadshow and stopped off in Holywell - he asked me in Welsh if I could speak it and I could only mumble back 'tipyn bach'. I took part in a quiz that was broadcast too, never won tho, got a consolation 'Owen Money' money box instead.
Wed Sep 14 17:12:50 2005
Steffan Carrington and James Roberts
Sut mai gwenffrwd? a mr ev! newydd gorffen TASAU phew! Helo Mrs Edwards a pawb arall yn yr ysgol! pob hwyl
Tue May 17 12:25:15 2005
Ler an Hanz
luvin the work!! we were in like year 2 or 3 wen u came 2 our skl, an gave us ur autograph- rok on!!!!!
Mon May 16 10:45:04 2005
Anna from Stockport
Gosh, is this the real Gaz Top!? I love what you're doing, keep it real. xxx
Thu Apr 14 00:26:25 2005
Suzane Roberts from Greenfield
My daughter goes to Ysgol Gwenffrwd were Gareth used to go to, and she remembers the day he came and what song they sang. One day we would like to meet him.
Fri Mar 25 12:26:47 2005
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TV presenter Gareth Jones recalls growing up in Holywell and how his Welsh background stood him in good stead when it came to performing...
