Actor hopes festival can recharge Welsh language in area

Eisteddfod honorary president Mark Lewis Jones says the festival's "doors are wide open to people of this area who... perhaps can't speak Welsh, or feel their Welsh isn't good enough"

TV and Hollywood actor Mark Lewis Jones said he hoped Wrexham playing host to a major cultural festival can "recharge the Welsh language and the Welsh culture from this area".

He also praised the city's football club's owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for embracing Welsh culture, saying the north east Wales border with England was considered by some as "'not as Welsh as other areas of Wales" where more people speak the Welsh language.

"I think there's a lack of confidence as a result of that," said Jones, who is a fluent speaker, and from Rhosllanerchrugog, in Wrexham county.

Jones said he hoped that could be addressed with Wrexham hosting the 2025 National Eisteddfod, with crowds of 150,000 expected this week.

"This isn't a private do," said the actor, who has appeared in series such as The Crown, Game of Thrones, and is also known for roles in films such as Star Wars: Episode VIII.

"The doors are wide open to people of this area who... perhaps can't speak Welsh, or feel their Welsh isn't good enough, like I used to feel, and still can.

"Everybody's welcome."

Jones has been made honorary president of week-long event, with 6,000 competitors showcasing the best Welsh language art, music, drama and literature.

He said: "I just hope this is going to really... recharge the Welsh language and the Welsh culture from this area."

Jones also praised Wrexham FC's Hollywood owners for helping to secure The Dragons' return to English football's second tier for the first time in 43 years.

Wrexham's opening away game to Southampton in the Championship on Saturday comes after a third successive automatic promotion last season.

Off the field, owners Reynolds and McElhenney have been promoting Welsh culture in their Disney series, Welcome to Wrexham. Plus, McElhenney has been learning the language.

Jones said: "The area has had a huge boost from the football team, and the way that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have approached that, and being in Wrexham, being in Wales, and taking on the Welsh language and giving it a real boost... the whole area, not just Wrexham itself, is benefiting from that."

He said he was "thrilled and very proud" that Isycoed in Wrexham was hosting the festival.

It is the first time since 2011 that the eisteddfod, which runs until 9 August, has been held in the area.

"When all this is taken away and this becomes a field full of cattle again, I hope that what's lasting is that it will encourage people to pick up the Welsh language, and encourage people to go watch theatre in Welsh... watch Welsh films, and take part in the stuff that is around in this area."