Rain diverts eisteddfod ceremony

The event announced the festival will be held in Cardiff in 2008

An official procession announcing Cardiff as the location of the 2008 National Eisteddfod was forced under cover due to bad weather.

The Gorsedd of Bards had been due to march through St Mary Street in the city centre, ahead of a proclamation ceremony in Cooper's Field on Saturday.

However the threat of rain led to the event, attended by 500 people, taking place at the UWIC campus in Cyncoed.

Flintshire will host the eisteddfod, an annual cultural festival, this August.

According to tradition, the intention to stage an eisteddfod must be announced at least one year and a day before the event.

Elfed Roberts, director of the National Eisteddfod, said it had been "disappointing" to move the ceremony.

Robin McBride, or Robin o Fôn, carried the Gorsedd sword Enlarge Image

"The Gorsedd circle in the shadow of Cardiff Castle is a very magnificent setting and we would have liked to march through the city centre to tell everybody the National Eisteddfod is coming to Cardiff in 2008," he said.

"One thing we can't control is the weather, it is rather disappointing."

He said he hoped next year's festival would show the people of Cardiff "that the eisteddfod and the Welsh language is alive".

Cardiff Council leader Rodney Berman attended the event, along with the full Gorsedd and representatives of local societies.

Former Wales rugby star Robin McBride, known as Robin o Fôn in the Gorsedd, carried the Gorsedd sword during the ceremony.

He replaced fellow ex-rugby star Ray Gravell in the role, who had part of his leg amputated in April following a diabetes-related infection.