BBC marks 50th anniversary of Aberfan disaster

To commemorate 50 years since the Aberfan disaster, which touched people around the world, BBC Wales has announced a series of commemorative programmes.

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Television

The Green Hollow – October, BBC One Wales & BBC Four

Some of Wales’ best known acting talent including Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce, Siân Phillips, Eve Myles and Iwan Rheon star in The Green Hollow - a 60-minute film-poem by multi-award winning poet, novelist and playwright Owen Sheers. The production draws on interviews with survivors, parents and people involved in the rescue operation, many of whom have never before spoken about their experiences.

The film uses verse, imagery and music to explore the identity of the village before and after the tragedy. It aims to embrace the disaster’s legacy as well as celebrating the strength of the community today.

Owen Sheers says: “The aspiration behind The Green Hollow was for the creative team to be a conduit for the voices of those involved and affected by the Aberfan disaster.

“As well as remembering the circumstances and consequences of the disaster it became equally important for me to create a portrait of what the village was like in 1966 before tip number 7 collapsed on Pantglas School - a thriving, vibrant cultural and economic community - and also to paint a picture of the fortitude and optimism present in the village today.

“The importance of remembering the disaster is self-evident, but I also wanted to write The Green Hollow because I felt it’s an example of what can happen when a community is dominated by a corporation. The story of Aberfan, despite being 50 years old, is still urgently contemporary, and resonates with relevance across the globe.

“Writing it was emotionally daunting, but it’s also been a tremendous privilege to have been trusted with the stories of Aberfan. Given that trust, I hope The Green Hollow is a fitting tribute and memorial, not just through being true, but through being beautiful too.”

Other cast members include Karl Johnson, Robert Pugh, Kimberley Nixon, Eiry Thomas, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Menna Trussler, Matthew Aubrey, Matthew Gravelle, Sharon Morgan, Boyd Clack, Lisa Palfrey, Shelley Rees, Richard Lynch, Matthew Raymond, Amy Morgan and Ryan Owen. There are also contributions from community members and new young local acting talent.

The Green Hollow is produced by BBC Studios Wales in association with Vox Pictures. It is directed by Pip Broughton, produced by Jenna Robbins, with Bethan Jones as Executive Producer.

Surviving Aberfan - October, BBC One Wales & BBC Four

The documentary Surviving Aberfan, combines archive film with people today, each telling their stories of tragic loss, miraculous survival, and heroic rescue. Some of the survivors talk for the first time about the most harrowing day of their lives, and how they have lived with the memory for half a century.

There are extraordinary untold stories of firefighters, rescuers and the children they saved, highlighting how the people of Aberfan have coped with the consequences of the disaster. This is an intimate and deeply moving portrait of a community that suffered a heart-breaking disaster, yet somehow found the strength to carry on with hope and dignity. It’s the story of surviving Aberfan.

The programme is produced by Steve Humphries of Testimony Films, who has won international awards for his films on 9/11.

Aberfan - The Fight for Justice - October, BBC One
Aberfan: Y Frwydr dros Gyfiawnder - October, S4C

Huw Edwards traces the story of Aberfan's decades-long battle for justice.

Soon after the tragedy, people were asking some basic questions. Was Aberfan a terrible accident or a preventable man-made disaster that should never have happened?

Just over a month after the disaster a Tribunal of Inquiry headed by a locally-born judge started to hear evidence. It was the first step in the fight for justice.

The documentary reflects on the 76 days of tribunal evidence brought to life by a cast of actors using the original transcripts. It was a remarkable process where the publicly-owned National Coal Board fought tooth and nail to deny that the disaster could have been foreseen, and that they were liable.

Aberfan - The Fight for Justice also follows the explosive battles to ensure the tips of coal waste that loomed over the village and brought death and destruction were finally cleared. The programme uncovers how the government and a publicly-owned industry showed little consideration for what the village had endured and how charity funds set up in the wake of the disaster were pressured to hand over money for tip clearance.

The documentary reveals astounding details of how warnings were ignored and opportunities to avoid catastrophe were missed; how those in power showed little care for a community that had lost so much; and how the people fought for justice over several decades.

Aberfan - The Fight for Justice is produced and directed by Iwan England of Alpha Productions, who was raised in Aberfan in the 80s and 90s.

Aberfan Memorial Concert - October, BBC One Wales, BBC Four & also on S4C

BBC One Wales and BBC Four will air highlights of the Aberfan memorial concert staged at the Wales Millennium Centre, featuring Bryn Terfel, Catrin Finch, David Childs, and Elin Manahan Thomas. The performance reflects on the courage of the survivors and the bereaved, and the spirit with which the community has faced the future. The memorial concert will include the world première of Cantata Memoria - for the children, commissioned by S4C and composed and conducted by Karl Jenkins with libretto by Welsh poet Mererid Hopwood. It will be performed by Sinfonia Cymru and the soloists are joined by a mixed choir of over 150 along with a children’s choir of 116.

In the concert, Siân Phillips, Michael Sheen and Iwan Rheon will perform new poetry and prose written by Ifor ap Glyn, Sophie McKeand and Professor Peter Stead. Two local school choirs – Ynysowen Primary School and Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Rhyd-y-Grug - and Ynysowen Male Voice Choir will open the evening. The concert is produced by Mr Producer and the television programmes produced by Rondo.

BBC Radio Wales

Aberfan - A Survivor’s Journey - 20 October, 1.15pm

In a very emotional journey, the programme follows Gaynor Madgwick, a pupil who was buried in the rubble that day but survived. Her brother and sister, who had been in classrooms either side of her, were killed. Gaynor tells her story and meets others caught up in the disaster to consider the effects of that day on her community and on her own life.

Aberfan - Covering the Catastrophe - 21 October, 1.15pm

Felicity Evans looks at the media coverage at the time, from a Welsh and international perspective. The programme asks whether survivors were treated sensitively and what was the media’s role in getting justice for Aberfan. World Affairs reporter Lyse Doucet considers how to balance the compassionate treatment of a community with the demands of the news cycle.

Making Sense of Aberfan - 21 October, 6.30pm

Dai Smith asks to what extent there was justice for the communities. Was anything learned from Aberfan passed on to Dunblane and Hillsborough? And can we ever truly make sense of such a catastrophe or must some questions remain unanswered?

BBC Radio Cymru

Aberfan - October

Alun Thomas looks at the history of the disaster, and considers the reaction after the event. He talks to people who were in Aberfan at the time helping the grieving community.

Yn Naw a Deg Oed - 17-21 October

In the week leading up to the anniversary, Radio Cymru celebrates the lives of children around Wales aged 9-10-years-old today. They uncover what really matters to their generation - what they do from day to day, the games they play and what makes them happy and sad. These items will be aired daily on the Bore Cothi programme at 10.45am and repeated at 12.30pm on 21 October.

BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 will be broadcasting a special documentary (on 19 October at 10pm) presented by Welsh entertainment legend Max Boyce, recalling the horrific tragedy that took place and the enormous impact it had on the village. In the moving documentary, Max revisits Aberfan to meet the Ynysowen Male Voice Choir that was formed in the village in the wake of the tragedy, to find out about the role it still holds there after all these years.

The programme will explore the significance the choir has not only to the disaster but to these singers, their past working lives and the wider local community. Max speaks at length with them to try and understand what music and membership of the choir means to them and much of Max’s own story and feelings are explored as a consequence.

Max Boyce says: “Working on the programme with the Ynysowen Male Voice Choir, formed as a legacy of the Aberfan disaster some 50 years ago, was a privilege and an honour. The Welsh Valleys are no stranger to mining disasters, but this was a tragedy like no other. A heart-breaking story of incompetence and largely human error which resulted in a village losing a generation of children. It was a morning that resonated around the world, and a day that will always be remembered with great sadness, and yet out of it came a legacy, a story of resilience, hope and faith. A village where they emptied the hills to warm the world would one day recover, but never forget.”

BBC Radio 3

BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales

The BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales perform at the Brangwyn Hall, as part of Swansea International Festival on 8 October at 7.30pm, (aired on BBC Radio 3 on 21 October), to remember the people of Aberfan. Louis Lortie performs the second Piano Concerto by Camille Saint-Saëns, a composer who lost his two sons in infancy; and then a new work, commissioned by Swansea International Festival and BBC Radio 3, in which new texts by Dr Rowan Williams are set by young Welsh composer Joseph Davies. The concert ends with Fauré’s Requiem. For more information visit bbc.co.uk/now.

BBC yn nodi hanner canrif ers trychineb Aberfan

Ar 21 Hydref 1966, llithrodd tomen o wastraff glo ar ysgol a’r tai gerllaw yn Aberfan, gan ladd 144 o bobl gan gynnwys 116 o blant. Dyna’r drychineb waethaf yn ymwneud â phlant yn hanes modern Prydain.

I nodi hanner canrif ers trychineb Aberfan, a gyffyrddodd â chalonnau pobl ledled y byd, mae BBC Cymru wedi cyhoeddi cyfres o raglenni i goffáu.

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Teledu

The Green Hollow – Hydref, BBC One Wales a BBC Four

Mae rhai o actorion mwyaf adnabyddus Cymru, gan gynnwys Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce, Siân Phillips, Eve Myles ac Iwan Rheon yn serennu yn The Green Hollow – ffilm ar ffurf cerdd, awr o hyd gan y bardd, y nofelydd a’r dramodydd adnabyddus Owen Sheers. Mae’r cynhyrchiad yn manteisio ar gyfweliadau â’r rhai wnaeth oroesi, rhieni, a phobl fu’n rhan o’r broses achub, llawer ohonynt heb siarad am eu profiadau o’r blaen.

Mae’r ffilm yn defnyddio barddoniaeth, delweddau a cherddoriaeth i edrych ar hunaniaeth y pentref cyn y drychineb ac ar ei hôl. Mae’n ceisio cofleidio gwaddol y drychineb yn ogystal â dathlu cryfder y gymuned heddiw.

Dywed Owen Sheers: “Yr ysbrydoliaeth y tu ôl i The Green Hollow oedd bod y tîm creadigol yn rhoi llais i’r rhai a fu yno ac yr effeithiodd trychineb Aberfan arnynt.

“Yn ogystal â chofio amgylchiadau a chanlyniadau’r drychineb, daeth yr un mor bwysig i fi greu portread o’r pentref fel ag yr oedd yn 1966 cyn i domen rhif 7 ddymchwel ar Ysgol Pantglas - cymuned fywiog yn ddiwylliannol ac yn economaidd - a hefyd i greu darlun o’r nerth a’r gobaith sydd yn y pentref heddiw.

“Mae pwysigrwydd cofio’r drychineb yn amlwg, ond roeddwn i hefyd eisiau ysgrifennu The Green Hollow oherwydd ei fod yn enghraifft o’r hyn sy’n gallu digwydd pan fo cymuned yn cael ei dylanwadu gan gorfforaeth. Er bod stori Aberfan yn hanner cant oed, mae dal yn boenus o gyfoes, ac mae yr un mor berthnasol ledled y byd.

“Roedd ei hysgrifennu’n beth brawychus yn emosiynol, ond braint enfawr hefyd oedd fod straeon Aberfan wedi cael eu hymddiried ynof. Oherwydd yr ymddiriedaeth honno, rwy’n gobeithio y bydd The Green Hollow yn deyrnged ac yn goffâd priodol, nid dim ond oherwydd ei bod hi’n wir ond hefyd oherwydd ei bod hi’n brydferth.

Mae aelodau eraill y cast yn cynnwys Karl Johnson, Robert Pugh, Kimberley Nixon, Eiry Thomas, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Menna Trussler, Matthew Aubrey, Matthew Gravelle, Sharon Morgan, Boyd Clack, Lisa Palfrey, Shelley Rees, Richard Lynch, Matthew Raymond, Amy Morgan a Ryan Owen. Ceir cyfraniadau hefyd gan aelodau’r gymuned ac actorion ifanc lleol.

Cynhyrchir The Green Hollow gan BBC Studios Cymru ar y cyd â Vox Pictures. Caiff ei chyfarwyddo gan Pip Broughton, ei chynhyrchu gan Jenna Robbins, a Bethan Jones yw’r Cynhyrchydd Gweithredol.

Surviving Aberfan – Hydref, BBC One Wales a BBC Four

Mae’r rhaglen ddogfen Surviving Aberfan, yn cyfuno ffilm archif a phobl heddiw, pob un yn dweud eu stori am golled drasig, goroesi drwy wyrth, ac achub gydag arwriaeth. Mae rhai o’r bobl oroesodd yn siarad am y tro cyntaf am y diwrnod mwyaf dirdynnol yn eu bywydau, a sut maent wedi byw gyda’r atgof am hanner canrif.

Ceir straeon eithriadol sydd heb gael eu dweud o’r blaen am ddiffoddwyr tân, achubwyr a’r plant a achubwyd ganddynt, gan bwysleisio sut mae trigolion Aberfan wedi ymdopi â chanlyniadau’r drychineb. Mae’n bortread personol a hynod deimladwy o gymuned a ddioddefodd drychineb dorcalonnus, ond a ganfu, drwy ryw fodd, y nerth i barhau gyda gobaith ac urddas. Mae’n stori am Aberfan a oroesodd.

Caiff y rhaglen ei chynhyrchu gan Steve Humphries o Testimony Films, sydd wedi ennill gwobrau rhyngwladol am ei ffilmiau am 9/11.

Aberfan - The Fight for Justice - Hydref, BBC One
Aberfan: y frwydr dros gyfiawnder - Hydref, S4C

Huw Edwards sy’n olrhain hanes y frwydr am gyfiawnder a barodd am ddegawdau lawer. Yn fuan ar ôl y drychineb, roedd pobl yn gofyn cwestiynau sylfaenol. Ai damwain ofnadwy oedd Aberfan, neu drychineb o law dyn y gellid bod wedi ei hosgoi ac na ddylai fyth fod wedi digwydd?

Ychydig dros fis ar ôl y drychineb, dechreuodd Tribiwnlys Ymchwiliad wrando ar dystiolaeth, dan farnwr a aned yn lleol. Dyma’r cam cyntaf yn y frwydr dros gyfiawnder.

Mae’r rhaglen ddogfen yn ystyried y 76 diwrnod o dystiolaeth tribiwnlys sy’n dod yn fyw gan gast o actorion yn defnyddio’r trawsgrifiadau gwreiddiol. Roedd yn broses hynod, lle bu’r Bwrdd Glo Cenedlaethol yn ymladd i’r eithaf i wadu y gellid bod wedi rhagweld y drychineb a’u bod nhw’n atebol.

Mae Aberfan - The Fight for Justice hefyd yn dilyn y brwydrau tanbaid i sicrhau bod y tomennydd glo a oedd uwchben y pentref ac a oedd wedi achosi marwolaeth a dinistr, yn cael eu clirio o'r diwedd. Mae’r rhaglen yn datgelu sut roedd y llywodraeth a’r diwydiant, a oedd dan berchnogaeth y cyhoedd, yn dangos cyn lleied o feddwl o’r hyn roedd y pentref wedi’i ddioddef a sut y rhoddwyd pwysau ar gronfeydd elusennol, a sefydlwyd yn sgil y drychineb, i drosglwyddo arian i glirio’r tomennydd.

Mae’r rhaglen ddogfen yn datgelu manylion rhyfeddol am y modd yr anwybyddwyd rhybuddion ac y collwyd cyfleoedd i osgoi’r drychineb; sut roedd y rhai mewn grym wedi dangos cyn lleied o ofal am gymuned a oedd wedi colli cymaint; a sut y brwydrodd pobl dros gyfiawnder am ddegawdau lawer.

Caiff Aberfan - The Fight for Justice ei chynhyrchu a’i chyfarwyddo gan Iwan England o Alpha Productions, un a fagwyd yn Aberfan yn yr wythdegau a’r nawdegau.

Cyngerdd Coffa Aberfan - Hydref, BBC One Cymru, BBC Four, hefyd ar S4C

Bydd BBC One Wales a BBC Four yn darlledu uchafbwyntiau cyngerdd coffa Aberfan a gynhelir yng Nghanolfan y Mileniwm gyda Bryn Terfel, Catrin Finch, David Childs ac Elin Manahan Thomas. Mae’r perfformiad yn adlewyrchu dewrder y bobl a oroesodd a’r galarwyr, a’r cryfder a ddangoswyd gan y gymuned i wynebu’r dyfodol. Bydd y cyngerdd coffa’n cynnwys y dangosiad cyntaf erioed o Cantata Memoria - Er Mwyn y Plant, a gomisiynwyd gan S4C. Cyfansoddwyd y gwaith gan Karl Jenkins, ac ef fydd yn arwain y perfformiad, gyda’r libreto gan y bardd Mererid Hopwood. Caiff ei berfformio gan Sinfonia Cymru, ac yn ymuno â’r unawdwyr mae côr cymysg gyda dros 150 o aelodau, ynghyd â chôr plant o 116 o aelodau.

Yn y cyngerdd, bydd Siân Phillips, Michael Sheen ac Iwan Rheon yn perfformio barddoniaeth a rhyddiaith gan Ifor ap Glyn, Sophie McKeand a’r Athro Peter Stead.

Bydd corau Ysgol Gynradd Ynysowen, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Rhyd-y-Grug a Chôr Meibion Ynysowen yn agor y noson. Mae’r cyngerdd yn cael ei gynhyrchu gan Mr Producer. Rondo sy’n cynhyrchu’r rhaglenni teledu.

BBC Radio Wales (Cymraeg)

Aberfan - A Survivor's Journey - 20 Hydref, 1.15pm

Mewn taith emosiynol iawn, mae’r rhaglen yn dilyn Gaynor Madgwick, disgybl a gladdwyd yn y rwbel y diwrnod hwnnw ond a oroesodd. Lladdwyd ei brawd a’i chwaer, a oedd mewn ystafelloedd dosbarth y naill ochr iddi. Mae Gaynor yn adrodd ei stori ac yn cwrdd â rhai eraill a fu yn y drychineb ac yn ystyried effeithiau’r diwrnod hwnnw ar ei chymuned ac ar ei bywyd ei hun.

Aberfan - Covering the Catastrophe - 21 Hydref, 1.15pm

Felicity Evans sy’n edrych ar rôl y cyfryngau ar y pryd, a hynny o safbwynt Cymreig a rhyngwladol. Mae’r rhaglen yn gofyn a gafodd y bobl a oroesodd eu trin yn sensitif, a beth oedd rôl y cyfryngau o ran sicrhau cyfiawnder i Aberfan. Mae’r gohebydd Materion Rhyngwladol, Lyse Doucet, yn ystyried sut i gael cydbwysedd rhwng trin cymuned mewn modd tosturiol a gofynion y cylch newyddion.

Making Sense of Aberfan - 21 Hydref, 6.30pm

Dai Smith sy’n gofyn i ba raddau y cafwyd cyfiawnder i’r cymunedau. A gafodd unrhyw beth a ddysgwyd o Aberfan ei drosglwyddo i Dunblane a Hillsborough? Ac allwn ni fyth wneud synnwyr o drychineb o’r fath, neu a oes rhaid i rai cwestiynau aros heb eu hateb?

BBC Radio Cymru (Cymraeg)

Aberfan - Hydref

Alun Thomas sy’n edrych ar hanes y drychineb, ac yn ystyried yr ymateb ar ôl y digwyddiad. Mae’n siarad gyda phobl a oedd yn Aberfan ar y pryd yn cynorthwyo’r gymuned yn ei galar.

Yn Naw a Deg Oed - 17-21 Hydref

Yn yr wythnos yn arwain at yr hanner can mlwyddiant, bydd Radio Cymru yn dathlu bywydau plant ledled Cymru sy’n 9-10 oed heddiw. Maent yn datgelu beth sy’n bwysig i'w cenhedlaeth nhw - beth maen nhw’n ei wneud o ddydd i ddydd, pa gemau maen nhw’n eu chwarae a beth sy’n eu gwneud yn hapus ac yn drist. Caiff yr eitemau eu darlledu’n ddyddiol ar raglen Bore Cothi am 10.45am a’u hailddarlledu am 12.30pm ar 21 Hydref.

BBC Radio 2 (Cymraeg)

Bydd BBC Radio 2 yn darlledu rhaglen ddogfen arbennig (ar Hydref 19 am 10pm) gyda’r diddanwr chwedlonol, Max Boyce, i gofio’r drychineb. Yn y rhaglen ddogfen emosiynol hon, mae Max yn ail-ymweld ag Aberfan i gwrdd â Chôr Meibion Ynysowen a ffurfiwyd yn y pentref yn sgil y drychineb er mwyn canfod y swyddogaeth sydd ganddo yno o hyd ar ôl yr holl flynyddoedd.

Bydd y rhaglen yn edrych ar arwyddocâd y côr, nid yn unig i’r drychineb ond hefyd i'r cantorion. Bydd Max yn siarad gyda nhw i geisio deall beth mae cerddoriaeth a bod yn aelod o gôr yn ei olygu iddyn nhw, ac edrychir wedyn ar stori Max ei hun a’i deimladau ef.

Dywed Max Boyce: “Braint ac anrhydedd oedd gweithio ar y rhaglen gyda Chôr Meibion Ynysowen, a ffurfiwyd fel gwaddol i drychineb Aberfan hanner can mlynedd yn ôl. Nid yw trychinebau glofaol yn ddieithr i Gymoedd y De, ond roedd hon yn drychineb wahanol i'r un arall. Stori dorcalonnus am gamgymeriadau a achoswyd gan bobl, yn bennaf, ac a arweiniodd at bentref yn colli cenhedlaeth o blant. Roedd yn fore atseiniodd drwy’r byd, a diwrnod a gaiff ei gofio bob amser gyda thristwch mawr. Er hynny, mae’n stori am gadernid, gobaith a ffydd. Byddai pentref lle buont yn gwagio’r bryniau i dwymo’r byd yn ail-gryfhau un diwrnod - ond byth yn anghofio.”

BBC Radio 3 (Cymraeg)

Cerddorfa a Chorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC

Bydd Cerddorfa a Chorws Cenedlaethol Cymreig y BBC yn perfformio yn Neuadd y Brangwyn, fel rhan o Ŵyl Ryngwladol Abertawe ar 8 Hydref, 7.30pm, (a ddarlledir ar BBC Radio 3 ar 21 Hydref) i gofio pobl Aberfan. Mae Louis Lortie yn perfformio’r Ail Goncerto i’r Piano gan Camille Saint-Saëns, sef cyfansoddwr a gollodd ddau fab yn eu babandod; ac yna gwaith newydd a gomisiynwyd gan Wŷl Ryngwladol Abertawe a BBC Radio 3, lle mae testunau newydd gan Dr Rowan Williams yn cael eu gosod gan y cyfansoddwr ifanc o Gymru, Joseph Davies. Daw’r cyngerdd i ben gyda’r Requiem gan Fauré. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, ewch i bbc.co.uk/now.