Dylan Thomas Society

Welcome to the home of the Dylan Thomas Society

The Dylan Thomas Society celebrates the life and works of the Swansea born poet and writer who one of the most influential figures in literature in Wales and the world

Based in the poet's birthplace and home of 23 years, 5 Cwmdonkin Drive in the Uplands of Swansea, the main aim of the Society is to foster serious interest in the life and works of Dylan Thomas and actively engage with schools and community groups across the globe as well as hosting a range of exclusive events for its members in the UK.

Latest Events...

If Dylan Met Thomas Hardy - A short play competition
Two of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Dylan Thomas and Thomas Hardy, never met in person. But what if they had?

We invite you to write a short play about the imaginary meeting between the two writers. The shortlisted plays will be performed during The Beginning conference.

Closing date is October 7th 2023. MORE

The Beginning
Friday 27th October 2023 to Sunday 29th October 2023

A Joint Conference Between the Dylan Thomas Society and the Thomas Hardy Society. MORE

Annual Wreath Laying
Saturday 18th November 2023

11.45am for 12 noon at Westminster Abbey and after at Wheatsheaf pub, Fitzrovia. Open to members and non-members. MORE

A message from the Chairman - Geoff Haden

"I took over as chairman of the Society at an exciting time, as we began to build on the legacy of the centenary celebrations of 2014. My vision for the Society is to restore its position as the pre-eminent source of information about Dylan, his life, his work and his family.

The Society will be the first stop for those looking to discover, or indeed 're-discover' the 'man of words' Dylan Thomas. We are looking to forge relationships with other relevant bodies the world over. Already we have created strong links with the Thomas family, the Dylan Thomas Birthplace, the Swansea University sponsored International Dylan Thomas Prize for young authors and their DylanEd educational programme.

In an ever changing world we must be ready to embrace new forms of communication and reach out to people all over the world. This journey will take many forms but what I can guarantee is that it will be a rewarding experience – join me, our members and enjoy."

A message from the President - Hannah Ellis

The centenary of my grandfather’s birth in 2014 was full of a myriad of different types of events, which explored his life and exhibited his work through different art forms. I can confidently say, after observing the passionate reactions to the celebrations, that my grandfather, all these years after his death, is still held in high esteem and continues to be one of the most popular poets in the English language.

For me, I was particularly pleased to observe the positive responses audiences had to his work. For some, they were re-discovering my grandfather’s writing. Once again, the intense language was intoxicating them while, excitingly, it was also an opportunity for new generations to discover the magical wordplay for the very first time.

I hope that a legacy of the anniversary is that the Dylan Thomas Society continues to be an active and thriving group, with members from across the globe. Admirers of my grandfather’s work can come together and share their love of his poetry and prose, whilst also examining the stories - of, which there are many- about his life and learn about the true man behind the myth.