Urdd Gobaith Cymru breaks two world records on 100th anniversary

By Eleonora Pilastro
Published
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Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales's largest national youth movement, celebrated its 100th birthday with two Guinness World Records titles!

The Urdd broke the records for:

  • Most videos of people singing the same song uploaded to Facebook in one hour (461)
  • Most videos of people singing the same song uploaded to Twitter in one hour (1176)
Urrd Chief Executive Sian Lewis and Mistar Urrd at the certificate presentation

Supervised by adjudicator Louise Toms, the organization achieved this milestone for their centenary by singing Hei Mistar Urdd! ('Hey Mister Urdd'), their iconic anthem written and composed by musician Geraint Davies (song credit: Urdd Gobaith Cymru /Geraint Davies).

The participants were invited to sing and upload their videos to Twitter and Facebook between 10.45 am and 11.45 am on 25 January 2022. 

Later in the year, these two records will be featured in the third S4C GWR Cymru TV show – where space will be also given to other iconic Welsh records, showcasing and celebrating local talent.

"We wanted to do something really significant to mark and celebrate the Urdd’s centenary, and it needed to be something that could involve all our members, past and present. Achieving two Guinness World Records was just the thing. Thank you to everyone who took part and diolch Guinness World Records for the titles." - Sian Lewis, Urrd Chief Executive 

The celebrations for the largest Welsh youth organization kicked off with a Zoom party featuring schools from around Wales, in the company of the Stwnsh Sadwrn presenters, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales. 

As expected, it attracted endless love and support across Wales and beyond, with more than 95,000 people joining in. 

urdd members singing

"The Urrd is so important for everybody here in Wales," said musician Mei Gwynnedd to BBC News. 

"The Welsh language, it’s great to see it so strong."

Among the participants was twice-Golden Globe-nominee Matthew Rhys.

The organization also received messages of support from, among others, the Welsh Rugby Union, music star Bonnie Tyler and actors Iwan Rheon, Dame Siân Phillips and Rob McElhenney.

Now one of the largest youth organizations in Europe, Urdd Gobaith Cymru was first established in 1922 by Syr Ifan ab Owen Edwards. 

In 1922, Sir Ifan ab Owen Edwards published an article in the magazine Cymru’r Plant introducing a new movement to encourage the use of Welsh: the ‘Urdd Gobaith Cymru Fach’.

Appealing to the younger generations, he wrote: "These days, in many villages, and in most towns in Wales, children play and read in English. They forget that they are Welsh."

urrd mascotte with cupcakes

The Urrd offered the Welsh youth the opportunity to cultivate their own language and cultural roots through social events. 

Born as a family-run organisation, the Urrd's events were held at Syr Ifan ab Owen Edwards’ family home in Llanuwchlyn, near Bala. 

"Since its establishment, over four million children and young people have been involved with the Urdd in various ways." - Urdd Gobaith Cymru website

However, backed with love and passion from the very start, the Urrd quickly developed into a much larger reality. 

By 1927, it already counted 5,000 young members. 

Child drawing mistar urrd

Undoubtedly, the organisation will continue to drive more attention to Welsh culture and heritage through its many events, like the Urdd National Eisteddfod; the annual Welsh-speaking youth festival promoting arts, music and literature.

Today, the Urrd has over 10,000 volunteers, 55,000 members aged between 8 and 25 and runs 300 sports clubs – as well as hundred years of history and two world records.

Llongyfarchiadau!