Criccieth’s ‘Welsh Incident’ Takes to the Airwaves on BBC Radio 4

Criccieth will feature on BBC Radio 4’s Open Country this week in a special episode exploring the town’s connection to Robert Graves’ much-loved 1929 poem Welsh Incident.

In “Welsh Incident in Criccieth”, broadcaster and writer Jon Gower visits the town to uncover the local lore behind the poem’s mysterious sea creatures. Graves is said to have been inspired during train journeys through the area with his father, when a Welsh policeman shared a tale of having seen a mermaid off the coast of Criccieth — a story that later sparked the poem’s surreal and playful imagery.
Criccieth Town Council Clerk Dr Catrin Jones explains how this “incident” became the creative catalyst for the town’s recent High Street regeneration. She reflects on how the poem was used “to good effect” as a source of local pride and a way of bringing heritage, imagination and placemaking together.

Renowned sculptor Howard Bowcott discusses his interpretation of the poem in the striking sculpture that now stands on Y Maes, while celebrated poet and musician Gwyneth Glyn reads excerpts from the bilingual performance she and Chaired Bard Twm Morys created for the sculpture’s unveiling in 2019.
The episode weaves together history, folklore, art and community storytelling — showing how a poem written nearly a century ago continues to shape Criccieth’s cultural identity today.

How to Listen

Airs: Thursday 23 April at 15:00 on BBC Radio 4
Repeat: Saturday 25 April at 06:07
Catch-up: Available shortly after broadcast on BBC Sounds