R. Geraint Gruffydd

Professor Emeritus R. Geraint Gruffydd (born 9 June 1928), MA DPhil DLitt FLSW FBA is a scholar of Welsh language and literature. He is a graduate of Bangor University and Jesus College, Oxford He commenced his studies at Oxford in 1948. During his academic career he held three notable offices:

• Chair of Welsh language and literature at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1970–1979)
• Librarian of the National Library of Wales (1980–1985)
• Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (1985–1993)

Afer his academic retirement in 1993 he became President of the International Congress of Celtic Studies until 2003 and he also served as Vice-President of University of Wales, Aberystwyth. In 1999 he succeeded Professor J. E. Caerwyn Williams as Consultant Editor of Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru. He has written books and chapters on a wide range on subjects in all periods of Welsh literature, from his treatment of the earliest Welsh poetry through the work of the medieval poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym, and the Methodist hymn-writer, William Williams of Pantycelyn, to 20th century writers such as Saunders Lewis.

He is a Calvinist Christian. He is a Welsh Nationalist. His father, Moses Griffith, was the first Treasurer of Plaid Cymru.

He is also a Founding Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

Geraint Gruffydd was a friend of Sheldon Vanauken at Oxford, and was mentioned in Vanauken's memoir A Severe Mercy.