ABERGAVENNY’S first hosting of the National Eisteddfod in more than 100 years got off to a swinging, if slightly rain sodden start.

After a sunny weekend, which attracted more than 30,000 visitors to the Castle Meadows site, Monday saw a drop in numbers as the town was drenched, with more than a month’s worth of rain falling in one day.

If clothes were dampened, fortunately spirits were not an the 14,092 who attended on Monday were treated to a packed day culminating in the presentation of the Eisteddfod Crown to Caernarfon poet Elinor Gwynn.

The festival was officially opened on Saturday by the chairman of the executive committee Frank Olding and Eisteddfod Court President Garry Nicholas.

Speaking at the opening ceremony Mr Olding praised the ‘small band’ of volunteers who had worked tirelessly to raise funds for the Eisteddfod as well the event’s permanent staff for their handwork and ’good humour’.

Mr Olding also thanked Abergavenny Town Council and Monmouthshire County Council for their financial support.

He said the past year had been wonderful and had seen ‘Welsh speakers, Welsh people with little Welsh and incomers with no Welsh’ working together to ensure that the Eisteddfod was a success.

After a slightly lack lustre opening night concert featuring Only Men Aloud, Saturday evening broke new ground with a change in Eisteddfod tradition which saw the more familiar choral concert replaced by a rip-roaring performance featuring around 200 members of the Eisteddfod choir which rehearsed regularly in Abergavenny, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw and Caldicot,

The choir has been rehearsing separately, coming together regularly with Jeff Howard and Rhys Taylor, in preparation for the concert which featured the Rhys Taylor Big Band, Shan Cothi and James Williams.

One of the biggest community based Eisteddfod choirs for many years the Abergavenny group has been working under the guidance of Osian Rowlands and Jeanette Massocchi.

One of the many highlights of Sunday was the traditional Cymanfa Ganu, which featured the Eisteddfod choir in more serious mode, conducted this time by Alwyn Humphreys and accompanied by the prize winning Tredegar Brass Band, with Robert Nicholls on the organ.

As ever the Eisteddfod attracted visitors from all walks of life both artistic and political and among the first to visit on Monday was the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones, who used the opportunity to promote a new Welsh language strategy which aims to double the number of Welsh speakers in the country.

Speaking at the Eisteddfod Mr Jones praised the hard work of the people of Monmouthshire in making this year’s National Eisteddfod a success.

“It’s great to see this beautiful part of our country making huge contributions towards such an important national event. The townspeople of Abergavenny and Monmouthshire have given a warm and open minded welcome to the whole of Wales.”

As ever the Eisteddfod has not been without controversy, with the Gorsedd attracting unfavourable press over the apparent lack of recognition for the Welsh football team, while some have criticised cash-strapped Monmouthshire County Council over the announcement that it would provide £100,000 to cover the shortfall in the county-wide community funding drive.

As reported last week although Abergavenny beat its £100,000 target by more than £20,000 other appeals were not as successful, leading to a shortfall in the £300,000 target. In 2014, the local authority agreed to host the event and underwrite any shortfall as part of a £580,000 budget commitment.

Council leader Peter Fox said, "We always realised there would be challenges in reaching the £300,000 target.This doesn’t represent a great concern to us because this is a huge investment not only in celebrating Welsh language and culture but also Monmouthshire."

MCC’s head of community-led delivery, Deb Hill-Howells, the officer responsible for organising the council’s arrangements for the National Eisteddfod added, “We wish to congratulate the county’s fund-raising committees on achieving £200,000 towards this year’s National Eisteddfod.

“It is a tremendous achievement and was only possible due to the hard work and commitment of local volunteers. The council is working with the local community to ensure that we use this iconic event to showcase our beautiful county to Eisteddfod visitors and those watching the event through the media. Instead of concentrating on what hasn’t been achieved we want to celebrate what has.”