The Funeral celebration of the life of Raymond Garlick, Teacher/Editor, and Poet, took place at Wenallt Chapel, Thorn Hill on Thursday March 31st 2011. Amongst the many who attended were representatives from the Arts and Media World and a group of ex-pupils and colleagues from PDGS/PGS.

The proceedings were conducted bilingually by Raymond’s son, Actor and Presenter Iestyn Garlick, who recounted fondly the family’s memories of growing up with such an illustrious father. His recollections brought many a delighted chuckle from the congregation.

The Eulogy was delivered by Professor Jason Walford Davies, and embraced the many achievements of this remarkable scholar. These ranged from his early poetry and the foundation of the ground-breaking Dock Leaves magazine (when he was teaching at Pembroke Dock County School) to his later work as founder and lecturer of the Anglo Welsh Studies Course at Trinity College Carmarthen, his critical treatise An Introduction to Anglo Welsh Literature and his Joint-Editorship with Roland Mathias of Anglo Welsh Poetry 1480-1980. Professor Davies clearly illustrated the huge debt we owe to Raymond Garlick, as Dock Leaves later metamorphosed into The Anglo Welsh Review and its current successor The New Welsh Review. His legacy to the field of Welsh Writing in English is immense and continuing.

Two readings followed. The first was a reading of Raymond’s poem Explanatory Note, which was given by his long time, close friend Bishop Donald Mullins. The second, a letter written to the whole Garlick Family b

y American poet and lecturer Jon Dressel, was read by Raymond’s daughter Angharad and was preceded by a moving tribute she gave to her father. Dressel had lived near Garlick, when both were lecturing at Trinity College and they had become firm friends. In his letter, Jon described their visits to sites known to and visited by Mark Twain and Robert Frost, when Garlick had visited America. He concluded, by recalling that one of Raymond’s favourite songs had been The Battle Hymn of the Republic, and it was the singing of this stirring and inspirational hymn that celebrated our personal salute to a really great Welshman.

CLICK HERE to read past pupil Peter Preece's Memory of Raymond Garlick written for The Penvro in 2009.

CLICK HERE for Peter Finch's tribute to Raymond Garlick published on BBC Wales website

CLICK HERE for M. Wynn Thomas's commentary published on the Literature Wales website