Aneirin Talfan Davies

Aneirin Talfan Davies (1909–1980) was a Welsh poet, broadcaster and literary critic.

Talfan Davies was brought up in Gorseinon. During the 1930s Davies worked in London as a pharmacist before returning to Wales and settling in Swansea. He was the brother of Alun Talfan Davies, with whom he founded the publishing company, Llyfrau'r Dryw (later succeeded by Christopher Davies). Aneirin Talfan Davies, who was known by the bardic name of Aneurin ap Talfan, also founded the Welsh language periodicals, Heddiw (English: Today) and Barn (Opinion). He was Head of Programmes Wales at the BBC and produced broadcasts of early works by Dylan Thomas. Following Dylan's death, he wrote a critical study of Thomas as a religious poet. He also translated the poetry of Christina Rossetti into Welsh, and edited the letters of David Jones, whose influence can be discerned throughout his work.

He wrote an anonymous satire in the Western Mail (under the pen name of Theomemphus), to which he was a frequent contributor, following bishop Glyn Simon's attack on the workings of the Electoral College of the Church in Wales (1961). He was a prominent Anglican and Christian themes characterised much of his writing.

His son, Geraint Talfan Davies (born 1943) has had many notable positions in Wales, including that of Controller of BBC Wales from 1990 to 2000, and he co-founded Glas Cymru, which acquired the now Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and turned it into a business run solely for the benefit of customers. He is chairman of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, which he co-founded, and the Welsh National Opera.

Works

• Eliot, Pwshcin, Poe (1948)
• Gwyr Llen (1949)
• Blodeugerdd o englynion (1950)
• Crwydro Sir Gar (1955)
• Englynion a Chywyddau (1958)
• Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body (1964)
• Bro Morgannwg (1972)
• Diannerch Erchwyn a Cherddi Eraill (1975)