Aberfan: Memorial concert will 'give community hope'

Saturday's concert to mark the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan mining tragedy has been described as "wonderful" and "incredibly moving."

The audience in Cardiff's Wales Millennium Centre included bereaved parents and those who were in the school on the day.

Actor Michael Sheen read a poem about "hope and healing".

He said he hoped the event would "enable the community to focus on the future".

The concert also featured Cantata Memoria, a new choral work by composer Sir Karl Jenkins, which was performed by Sinfonia Cymru and sung by a mixed choir of over 150 people along with a children's choir of 116.

On 21 October 1966, Aberfan was devastated when a colliery waste tip collapsed, with slurry engulfing Pantglas Junior School on the last day before half term.

A total of 144 people died, 116 of them children.

Michael Sheen performed a poem as part of the Aberfan memorial concert

Mr Sheen said: "I found it incredibly moving when I read it out loud to myself, and I realised that by the time I got to the end of the poem I was practically in tears.

"It is a story about coming together, about healing - and moving forward into a hopeful future."

He said although the legacy of the day would stay "with every single person involved", he believed the community did not just want to be identified with "such a painful tragedy".

"So I hope the performance will enable them to focus on the future," he added.

Aberfan survivor Rennie Williams said the concert was very moving

Rennie Williams, who was one of the teachers to survive the tragedy, watched the concert.

She said: "Once the names came up, that caught my throat. That really upset us. Because once the names came up we could see the children's faces. And that really hurt."

Another former Pantglas teacher, Hetty Williams, said: "I thought the music was really, really wonderful. Something that everyone will remember - and they'll remember Aberfan."

"The month of October every year affects us," said Mair Morgan, also a teacher in the school.

"We like to see October go out. It's with you always on the 21 October."

Bryn Terfel performed Myfanwy, which the concert programme said was sung by some rescuers as they dug for survivors

Speaking before the concert, Mr Jenkins said: "We have to be mindful of Aberfan. We can't hide from the fact that it happened.

"Perhaps some will be upset - perhaps by the part where the names are intoned.

"But I'd like them to know that it's done with the utmost respect and integrity."

• The performance will be shown on S4C on Sunday 9 October at 19:30 BST

• Highlights of the concert will be shown on BBC2 Wales on Saturday 22 October at 21:00