The money has come following a number of successful pipe workshops funded by Communities First Town and Parc.

The workshops will run over a 1 year period with arch-piper Geraint ‘Jacob’ Roberts giving people the chance to play the pibgorn, tin whistle, bohdran and Welsh pipes.

If you are interested in learning to play traditional Welsh music, complete beginers or experienced musicians, contact the Menter now on 01685 722176

The Cardiff Arms in Hirwaun will see legendary rock icon Kory Clarke perform on Sunday April 12th as part of his UK Tour.  Gig from 9pm.

WARRIOR SOUL front man Kory Clarke will be bringing his awesome solo show to Hirwaun. The reception from his last tour was awesome to say the least with all fans getting an insight to the often controversial multi platinum artist. Reviews compared his solo work with that of NINE INCH NAILS.

Over the past year many bands have graced the stage at the Cardiff Arms Hirwaun, including acts signed to Sony BMG, Van Morrisson’s ex backing band,bands from Merthyr, Aberdare and surrounding areas.

Also playing this Easter at Cardiff Arms Hirwaun

Friday 10th April – Wired Fish from 9pm

Monday 13th April – Warren & Co

Live Music every Friday evening from 9pm.

Then get down to the Cardiff Arms on Boxing Day evening for Live Music from Warren & Co. Rock/Rock n Roll!

The Cardiff Arms has a late bar for the occasion, so why not get out of your chair and walk off the winter blues (plus all the Christmas Dinner Trimmings!).

Julian & Annie look forward to seeing you, and wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Recently signed to Sony BMG, Mercury Men Jinder, Gavin and Simon are on the road promoting their debut album Postcards from Valonia.

This promises to be a very special gig. Catch them at the Cardiff Arms Hirwaun on the only Welsh date of their UK tour.

Here’s the guys on You Tube :

YouTube Direktvideo link

The band ‘Red Eye Fly’ (with a guitarist from Hirwaun) will be performing on the Friday night of the Bank Holiday.

The evening will start at 8pm ish.

Both Julian & Annie, the owners of Cardiff Arms, look forward to seeing the Cardiff arms alive with the sound of Live Music.

The Cardiff Arms will be hosting live music from bands, duos and single artists over the coming months, so look out for future acts!

Renamed the Myfanwy Theatre, the theatre celebrates this week with a variety of unique performances. On Friday 18 April ‘The Amigos’, a highly acclaimed folk fusion quintet will play. On Saturday ‘Magic – A Kind of Queen’ are bringing Queen’s greatest hits to the theatre.

The modern air-conditioned, state-of-the-art flexible theatre space seats 200 with full disabled access and boast the latest in sound and lighting facilities.

The theatre space is conveniently situated in the centre of the town, with 600 car parking spaces, and provides a modern educational, performance and conference space with facilities for a licensed bar.

New owners Julian and Annie Barfield acquired the Cardiff Arms in August 2007. They have managed the renovation of the Cardiff Arms during the past few months. It was a mammoth task. “We had no option other than to start with a complete rip out,” explained Julian. “You can only imagine what we found!”

“We have stripped the bar back to Natural Oak, renewed the dance floor area with reclaimed 200 year old floorboards to create a warm natural area that fits in with the period of the building. Both my wife and I along with our barman Andy have worked hard to create a warm and friendly interior with subdued lighting, high back leather chairs, pine tables and leather sofa areas to simply sit back and relax in.”

Work at the Cardiff Arms Hotel has been extensive with the re-plastering of walls, replaced ceilings, new paintwork, renewed floor coverings, electrical workings, lighting, and plumbing.

What will be on the menu at the new Cardiff Arms Hotel ?

Quality entertainment appealing suitable for all the family will feature strongly on the menu at the new-look Cardiff Arms, with evening entertainers from solo artists to five piece bands. There will be a range of music from rock, rock ‘n roll, contemporary to folk, along with comedy nights and charity events. A Large Screen Television including plasma and projector has also been installed.

The Cardiff Arms will be serving food on a daily basis with a traditional Lunch Menu with home-made food ranging from steak and ale pie, trio of locally-made sausages served with mustard mash & onion gravy, home roasted ham… to black mountain lamb shank and creamed mash, along with Specials. An Evening Menu will be more contemporary with dishes such as steak carbonara, hand-made pizza, and black pepper & spinach with pork.

Cardiff Arms will be announcing their opening date soon.

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Photos of the renovation work at Cardiff Arms available to view in the Gallery here

Some forty years from her emergence on the late sixties folk club circuit, Maddy Prior is one of the most enduring, influential and respected artists in British music. As one of the founder members of the group Steeleye Span, she was instrumental in taking folk music out of the backroom clubs and into the charts with a string of hit albums, gold discs and world tours.

Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band first combined to present five carols for Radio 4 in 1982. This part-time collaboration has lasted for twenty-five years and several albums. Primarily a Yuletide affair, they have become over the years stalwart performers of the carol tradition, seeking out obscure and ancient versions and delighting people with their energetic take on more familiar material. Their Christmas tours have become something of legend, as documented on the 1998 Carols At Christmas live album.

Mixing renaissance, modern and ethnic instruments with a refreshing cavalier attitude and plenty of humour, this is a truly celebratory show of Christmas music. Together, Maddy and the Carnival Band put their inimitable stamp on a range of familiar and not-so-familiar festive fare from favourites like God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and While Shepherds Watched to secular carols such as The Boar’s Head, dance tunes and specially composed songs.

Tickets for this fabulous evening of festive song are £14.50, Valleys Roots Members £13.50. Tickets are available now from The Coliseum Box Office on 01685 881188.

It was 1977, the year of skin-tight polyester, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and Saturday Night Fever.  The Sex Pistols were storming up the charts, skateboarding was the latest craze and at Hampstead Theatre, Mike Leigh was putting the finishing touches to Abigail’s Party, his ferocious black comedy and landmark of twentieth century theatre.

In her suburban living room, Beverly prepares for the arrival of her guests. She and husband Laurence will play host to neighbours Angela, Tony and Sue. As the alcohol flows and the ‘nibbles’ are handed around, Mike Leigh’s ruthless, achingly funny examination of suburban life begins to bite…

Abigail’s Party was first produced at Hampstead Theatre in 1977, with the role of Beverly immortalized by Alison Steadman. A record sixteen million people watched its broadcast as Play for Today, underlining its status as a true modern classic and national treasure. London Classic Theatre is one of the most prolific and thriving touring companies on the UK theatre scene, having established a reputation for producing entertaining, accessible drama of the highest quality.

Tickets are £9.00, concessions £7.00, and available now from the Coliseum Box Office on 01685 881188.

The evening is an evening of Clairvoyance & Mediumship Demonstration.

It features Annette Wilde who is one of the UKs leading Mediums and promises to be a most entertaining night.

Tickets are £10 and available from 01792 812116. Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 7.30pm.