TUCKED away in the back of the Eisteddfod programme is a whole page of small print. The competition rules which have to be strictly adhered to. They range from the prompt start of preliminary competitions to the ultimate sanction, the calling of a special contingency committee, to adjudicate on any unforeseen circumstances.
But there's another rule which isn't included in the official list and it's one that symbolises the whole ethos of the Urdd Eisteddfod and that's Dim Pwdu - no sulking.
Posters have been printed and posted all over the backstage area. And although I saw a couple of hissy fits being thrown behind the main stage on Wednesday afternoon - hours of hard work go into preparing for the Urdd Eisteddfod and missing out at the last minute hurts - the youngsters realise that the excitement of being at a major event makes up for the disappointment.
Mind you that can take years! Youngsters still remember the disappointment of missing out on a stage appearance years later. Wales and Llanelli Scarlets star Dwayne Peel still claims his folk dancing party missed out on a stage appearance at the Taf Elai Eisteddfod in 1991. "We were robbed" he told officials yesterday. Looking on the bright side that disappointment at
least prepared him for some dodgy refereeing decisions in the rugby world.
One of the pleasures of covering Urdd Eisteddfodau over a number of years is seeing youngsters developing their talent from an early age. 13-year old Steffan Rhys Hughes scooped up two first prizes on Wednesday afternoon and is due on stage a further four times on Thursday. I first saw him at the National Eisteddfod in Meifod four years ago where he won the boys cerdd dant solo - a prize he won four times in a row.
He is definately on the list of stars of the future. That list includes people like Bryn Terfel, Aled Jones, Ioan Gruffydd and Matthew Rees who all took part regularly in the Eisteddfod.
And it is even nicer to report that my former Aelwyd is doing well. Drama medal winner Manon Wyn Williams is a member of Aelwyd yr Ynys which was reformed a few years ago. In the late 1970s the Llangefni-based Aelwyd was a popular meeting spot for older Urdd members in Anglesey.
Principally a place to meet every Monday evening I recall some of us being persuaded to take part in a recitation party at the 1980 Eisteddfod held in Abergele. We didn't get a stage and the Dim Pwdu rule could have been implemented then!
