A range of creative and community activity has been recognised in this year’s Gorsedh Kernow
Awards. The Grand Bard’s award goes to musician Will Keating for his promotion of Cornish
music and second album and for his work with schoolchildren in Camborne.
Reflecting the growing popularity of the Cornish language, The Mab Hirnans Award, in memory of
Stephen Gainey, for outstanding contribution to the Cornish language, goes this year to Will
Coleman of Golden Tree, whose work has introduced Cornish into a wide range of primary schools
across Cornwall, backed with an award system. The Cornish language is also reflected in the
nomination of language teacher Polin Prys for the London Cornish Shield. Polin has taught Cornish
to many people in London and Falmouth across a number of years.
The annual Gorsedh Kernow awards recognise excellent work that sustains or promotes the Celtic
spirit of Cornwall both in Creativity and for Community. All winners will receive a specially
commissioned Awen medal that features the Gorsedh Kernow symbol of inspiration. These will be
presented at a celebration evening at Callington Town Hall on Friday 6th September as part of the
Esedhvos festival of Cornish culture that culminates in the Gorsedh assembly of bards. Grand Bard,
Pol Hodge, who will present all the awards in September, commented: “We have been impressed by
the quality and diversity of creative and community work nominated this year and it is a real
pleasure to celebrate Cornish talent and commitment”.
Awen medals for Creativity are presented to individuals or groups for a body of work that
embodies the Celtic spirit of Cornwall. Community award winners have all been nominated in
recognition of outstanding work in sustaining the Celtic spirit of Cornwall in their communities.
Highlights this year include Dean Evans for work with the Passmore Edwards Centenary and the St
Piran in Penwith Committee for their sustained work in organizing hundreds of schoolchildren each
year to celebrate St Piran. Creativity Awens go to Cornish language poet Sam Brown and to a
bilingual illustrated poetry work by Pat Aston.
The panel also award Certificates of Recognition designed to encourage new work in a range of
categories. This award has swiftly become a quality mark for new creative work that celebrates the
Celtic spirit of Cornwall.
The full list of awards for 2024:
Grand Bard’s Award: Will Keating
Mab Hirnans/Stephen Gainey Award: Will Coleman
London Cornish Association Shield: Polin Prys
Pewas MapTrevethan/Paul Smales Award: Peter John Chalkley
Community Awen Awards:
Dean Evans – Passmore Edwards
St Piran in Penwith Committee
Creativity Awen Awards:
Sam Brown – Flogh Tredrill
Dean Evans – Shallal
Pat Aston – Dre Dhorn ha Kolon
Certificates of Recognition
Dialect writing:
Trevor Smitheram
Community:
Emilie Champliaud
Creative Work:
MADE – Chris Morgan and Pat Hickman
Guy Potter
Heather Kathryn Rothney