Posted on 7 July 2011
Leila Salisbury
Carmarthen-born Leila Mair Salisbury, a PhD student at Bangor University is this year’s winner of the University of Wales Thomas Ellis Memorial Fund.
For her contribution to the study of Iolo Morganwg, the influential Welsh poet, she will receive £750.
The award will be used towards the publication costs of a bilingual book featuring a selection of Welsh folk songs collected by Iolo Morganwg between 1747 and 1826. The book, a product of Leila’s MPhil research thesis, will re-evaluate Morganwg’s contribution to Welsh folk music.
The aimed completion date for this project is August 2012, at the time of which she hopes to launch her work at the National Eisteddfod in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Having graduated with a first class honours degree in Welsh and Music in 2006 at Bangor University, Leila went on to study for an Mphil before assuming her current position of Graduate Teaching Assistant at Bangor’s School of Music.
Speaking of winning the award, Leila said:
“It is a huge privilege to win this award, which will help bring to light Iolo Morganwg’s invaluable contribution to the collecting of Welsh folk tunes and to Welsh folk music today. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the University of Wales for supporting this initiative.”
Grants from The Thomas Ellis Memorial Fund are awarded to assist research into the language, literature, history and antiquities of Wales and Monmouthshire, and the publication of the results of such research.
The fund was raised in memory of the late Thomas Edward Ellis MA, Warden of the Guild of Graduates (1896-1899), and a Member of Parliament representing Meirioneth during the years 1886-1899.
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Notes to Editors:
For more information about the University of Wales Scholarships, click on:
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