Ammanford folk group Jac y Do pay tribute to founding member

Hywel Bowen died in December 2019 however he is still fondly remembered by Ammanford folk group Jac y Do.

The group were going to do a small tour in celebration of Hywel’s life and raise money for Singleton based cancer support service Golau Cancer Foundation. Fellow founding member Eifion Price said plans had changed but they are still looking to pay homage to Hywel’s life.

“We had more or less decided as a band that we would have a concert to celebrate Hywel’s life in early 2020,” said Eifion, “but everyone knows what happened so everything was put on hold and we decided a few months ago to set up a JustGiving page.

Hywel was a founding member of the group as well as the keyboard player, but Eifion explained there was more to Hywel’s contribution than that.

“Four of us started it back in 1987,” said Eifion. “Hywel was not just the keyboard player he was also the recorder. He kept a record of where we played and if anyone notable played with us.

“Once at Brynaman Rugby Club, this is 10 or 12 years ago, we played with Cerys Matthews. Cerys said she would come and sing some songs and she joined us on stage.”

Hywel Bowen died in December 2019

Jac y Do folk band which Hywel helped found toured abroad as well as in Wales

Many members came through the group

Hywel was also described as a ‘Scarlets fanatic’, and the band played for the club at their old ground Stradey Park.

“Scarlets put up a red tent known as the ‘red zone’,” said Eifion. “There was face painting and a bar and a band and we were that band. We played for many a European game.”

As well as being a teacher at Betws School, Hywel Bowen was co-founder of a number of cultural enterprises in the Amman Valley such as Siop y Cennen and Clwb y Cnape.

So far the band have raised over £600.

If you want to support the cause go to the JustGiving page, here.