John Rowlands (August 14, 1938 – 23 February 2015) John Rowlands, ''TheModernNovel.org''
Retrieved 23 February 2015 was a

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...

author of several novels including ''Lle bo'r gwenyn'' ("Where Bees May Be", 1960). He was also a professor of

Welsh literature Welsh literature is any literature originating from Wales or by Welsh writers: *Welsh-language literature Welsh-language literature () has been produced continuously since the emergence of Welsh from Brythonic as a distinct language in a ...

Biography

Born in

Trawsfynydd Trawsfynydd (; Welsh language, Welsh for ) is a linear village in Gwynedd, Wales, near Llyn Trawsfynydd reservoir, and adjacent to the A470 road, A470 north of Bronaber and Dolgellau and 10 km (6 miles) south of Blaenau Ffestiniog. It als ...

Merionethshire Merionethshire, or Merioneth ( or '), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the North West Wales, north-west of Wales. Name 'Merioneth' is a ...

, Rowlands graduated in Welsh from

Bangor University Bangor University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It was established by Royal charter, Royal Charter in 1885 as the University College of North Wales (UCNW; ), and in 1893 ...

in 1959 and went on to lecture at Abertawe/Swansea, Coleg y Drindod,

Caerfyrddin Carmarthen (, ; , 'Merlin's fort' or possibly 'Sea-town fort') is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. At the 2021 census the community had a populatio ...

Llanbedr Pont Steffan Lampeter (; (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigion, after Aberystwyth and Car ...

and

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

. He retired in 2003 but remained active as an editor, critic and judge. In retirement he worked on creative writing courses at Bangor. His academic work included editing a major literary series ''Y Meddwl a'r Dychymyg Cymreig'' and numerous volumes and papers. He was one of the most prolific judges in the

Eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...

literary competitions and was probably the foremost critic in Welsh on Welsh. He also contributed a regular column to the magazine ''

Barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G ...

'' and was a wine and restaurant critic.

Works

Novels

*''Lle bo'r Gwenyn'' (1960) *''Yn ôl i'w Teyrnasoedd'' (1963) *''Ienctid yw 'mhechod'' (1965) *''Llawer Is na'r Angylion'' (1968) *''Bydded Tywyllwch'' (1969) *''Arch ym Mhrâg'' (1972) *''Tician Tician'' (1978)

Academic books

*''Priodas Waed'', translation of 'Bodas de Sangre' by Lorca (with R Bryn Williams) (1977) *Writers of Wales, T Rowland Hughes (1975) *Profiles (with G Jones) (1981) *Cnoi Cil ar Lenyddiaeth (1989) *Ysgrifau ar y Nofel (1992) *Y Meddwl a'r Dychymyg Cymreig - series editor

References

''Companion to Welsh Literature'' (Cydymaith i Lenyddiaeth Cymru). ed. Meic Stephens. University of Wales Press, Cardiff. 1986. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowlands, John 1938 births 2015 deaths Welsh-speaking academics Welsh writers Welsh-language writers Welsh novelists British restaurant critics Alumni of Bangor University 20th-century Welsh novelists People from Trawsfynydd Academics of the University of Wales, Lampeter