Jean Le Fustec (10 May 1855, in Rostrenen – 22 March 1910, in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

) was a Breton bard, and the first

Archdruid Archdruid () is the title used by the presiding official of Gorsedd Cymru, the Gorsedd. The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, the award of the and the C ...

of the

Goursez Vreizh Goursez Vreizh (officially Breudeuriezh Drouized, Barzhed hag Ovizion Breizh) is the national gorsedd of Brittany ("Breizh" in Breton). It often has delegates from the Welsh gorsedd and Gorsedh Kernow in Cornwall. The Breton organisation is itsel ...

(Gorsedd of Brittany). He is also known by his

Breton language Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language of the Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic language still widely in use on the European mainland, albeit as a member of ...

name Yann ab Gwilherm and his Druidic name Lemenik. Le Fustec was born in

Rostrenen Rostrenen (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department and Brittany region of northwestern France. Geography Neighbouring communes Rostrenen is border by Mellionnec to the south, Plouguernevel to the east, Kergrist-Moëlou to the nor ...

. His father Guillaume Le Fustec was a Huissier de justice (bailiff). His mother was Catherine Le Bars. He became a journalist at the French illustrated newspaper ''Le Magasin pittoresque'', and later in various Parisian newspapers. In Paris, he joined the

Breton Regionalist Union The Breton regionalist union (Union Régionaliste Bretonne or URB) was a Breton cultural and political organisation created August 16, 1898. It was a broadly conservative grouping dedicated to preserving Breton cultural identity and regional indep ...

. In 1899, he and

Erwan Berthou Erwan Berthou (4 September 1861 – 30 January 1933) was a French and Breton language poet, writer and neo-Druidic bard. His name is also spelled Erwan Bertou and Yves Berthou. He was born in Pleubian, Côtes-d'Armor. He studied at the small sem ...

founded the Gorsedd of Brittany, which sought to link Brittany to international

pan-Celticism Pan-Celticism ( ga, Pan-Cheilteachas, Scottish Gaelic: ''Pan-Cheilteachas'', Breton: ''Pan-Keltaidd'', Welsh: ''Pan-Geltaidd,'' Cornish: ''Pan-Keltaidd,'' Manx: ''Pan-Cheltaghys''), also known as Celticism or Celtic nationalism is a politic ...

, and to direct the regionalist movement and recreate distinct Breton identity. He was Archdruid of the Gorsedd of Brittany from 1901 to 1903, after which Berthou took over the position. In 1906 Le Fustec and Erwan Berthou published ''Eur to gir of rear Varzed, Triades des druides de Bretagne'',''Triadon, Eur gir d’ar Varzed, Triades des duides de Bretagne'', Paris, Bib. de l'Occident, 1906, édition bilingue, Iann Ar Fustec et Yves Berthou. a translation into Breton of the 46 theological Triads of the neo-Bards, according to a text first published by

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encycloped ...

with his own Lyric Poems, then in the ''Barddas'' of J. William ab Ithel (1862). The collection, in fact a forgery by Morganwg, was claimed to have been a translation of works by Llywelyn Siôn detailing the history of the Welsh bardic system from its ancient origins to the present day.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lefustec, Jean Neo-druids 1885 births 1910 deaths People from Côtes-d'Armor French modern pagans Modern pagan writers