Broadcasting from the National Eisteddfod is one of the biggest television events in Britain - second only to Wimbledon... so they say.

The detailed work starts once we get the Eisteddfod list of events in early summer. Elfed Roberts, the festival's Chief Executive, joins us to go through the programme, and he suggests stories, ideas and observations in order for the various departments - television, radio, Cymru Fyw, news, Wales Today and marketing - to instruct their staff regarding what needs to be done.

Production Manager, Catrin Medi, has already convened the television teams - directors, producers, presenters, researchers, cameramen and sound men, editors, engineers, health and safety guys and runners. She's also worked closely throughout the year with Huw Aled, the Eisteddfod's Technical Manager, to make sure that our technical requirements are met, that the needs of the Eisteddfod are in-keeping with the broadcasting requirements, that the contracts between us and the subcontractors are ok and that the structural and technical infrastructure works!

The most difficult job is to make sure that our services get all the information and resources they need and that they operate as cost-effectively as possible. If you think about putting on an international rugby match every consecutive day for nine days, it gives you some idea of the enormity of the task.

In July, we receive all types of interesting enquiries from our services at our main office: Is there sufficient satellite link to make sure Cymru Fyw can provide web streaming through London and to Salford so that it works on all platforms and devices? Will there be enough accommodation for all the crews? How far is Oswestry? Who is Brython Shag? What will happen if one of the brass bands doesn’t arrive at the Eisteddfod in time? Does anyone know where the archive clips of the winners from the Eisteddfod in Meifod in 2003 are? Has anyone contacted the presenters? Who's organising the Album of the Year? What will the weather be like and will we need wellingtons?

Making sure each one of our various services gets the correct answers at the right time is a major responsibility. Without careful internal co-operation between us and the hard-working Eisteddfod team, you can be certain that things could become a shambles very quickly.

And if you'll be joining us on television, on the radio, on demand or attending the festival itself in Meifod, we hope you'll enjoy yourself, and save a thought for all of us who are worried about everything from the weather to the colour of the new archdruid's socks!

A comprehensive guide to BBC's coverage of the Eisteddfod this year can be found on the BBC Cymru Fyw Eisteddfod pages.

Discover more with the BBC's iWonder guide on Druids, Bards and Rituals: What is an Eisteddfod?

Yn ail yn unig i Wimbledon

Bob mis Mehefin fel arfer mae’n stumog i yn dechrau troi… 100 o oriau o deledu, 100 o oriau radio ac ar ben hyn, gwe-lifo byw o’r Pafiliwn am 8 diwrnod yn olynol… ydi, mae’r Steddfod ar y gorwel. Fy swydd i ydi gwneud yn siŵr bod holl ddarlledu BBC Cymru yn gweithio mor llyfn â phosib. I wneud hynny mae angen gosod miloedd o fetrau o geblau ar gyfer ein camerâu, cannoedd ar gannoedd o fylbiau ar gyfer ein goleuadau, degau o feicroffonau, peiriannau, ‘generators’ ar gyfer trydan a phŵer, cyfrifiaduron rif y gwlith ar gyfer rhedeg popeth o sustemau canlyniadau’r pafiliwn i’r graffeg teledu. Darlledu yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol ydi un o’r digwyddiadau teledu mwyaf ym Mhrydain - ac yn ail yn unig i Wimbledon… medda nhw.

Ma’r gwaith manwl yn cychwyn unwaith mae trefn weithgareddau’r Steddfod yn ein cyrraedd ddechrau’r haf. I fynd drwy’r rhaglen mae Elfed Roberts, Prif Weithredwr yr ŵyl, yn ymuno â ni ac yn cynnig straeon, syniadau a sylwadau er mwyn i’r adrannau gwahanol - yn deledu, radio, Cymru Fyw, Newyddion, Wales Today a marchnata wedyn gilio i’w gwahanol gilfachau i roi eu staff ar waith. Mae Catrin Medi, y Rheolwr Cynhyrchu, wedi rhoi'r timau teledu at ei gilydd eisoes - yn gyfarwyddwyr, cynhyrchwyr, cyflwynwyr, ymchwilwyr, gwyr camera a sain, golygyddion, peirianwyr, pobl iechyd a diogelwch a rhedwyr. Ma’ hi hefyd wedi bod yn gweithio yn agos trwy gydol y flwyddyn gyda Huw Aled, Rheolwr Technegol y Steddfod, i wneud yn siwr fod ein gofynion technegol yn cael eu gwireddu, fod anghenion y Steddfod yn cyd-orwedd efo’r gofynion darlledu, fod y cytundebau rhyngom a’r is-gontractwyr yn iawn a bod yr is-adeiladedd technegol a strwythurol yn gweithio!

Y swydd anoddaf oll ydi gwneud yn siwr fod ein gwasanaethau yn cael y wybodaeth a’r adnoddau ma’ nhw angen a’n bod yn gweithredu mor gost-effeithiol â phosib. Os feddyliwch chi am roi gêm rygbi ryngwladol ymlaen bob dydd yn olynol am 9 diwrnod, yna mae’n rhoi ryw fath o syniad o anferthedd y dasg.

Yn ystod mis Gorffennaf mae pob math o ymholiadau diddorol yn cyrraedd ein prif swyddfa gan ein gwasanaethau: Oes yna ddigon o linc lloeren i wneud yn siwr fod Cymru Fyw yn gallu gwe-lifo drwy Lundain ac i Salford er mwyn gweithio ar bob platfform a theclyn? A fydd yna ddigon o ystafelloedd aros i’r criwiau i gyd? Pa mor bell ydi Croesoswallt? Pwy ydy Brython Shag? Beth ddigwyddith os na wnaiff un o’r bandiau pres gyrraedd y Steddfod mewn pryd? Oes rhywun yn gwybod lle mae clipiau archif enillwyr Meifod 2003? Oes 'na rywun wedi cysylltu â’n cyflwynwyr? Pwy sy’n trefnu Albwm Y Flwyddyn? Sut dywydd fydd hi ac a fydda i angen wellingtons?!

Llawer iawn o gwestiynau dilys tu hwnt ac mae’n gyfrifoldeb mawr i wneud yn siwr fod pob un o’n gwasanaethau amrywiol yn cael yr atebion cywir ar yr amser cywir. Heb gyd-weithio gofalus yn fewnol a rhyngom ni a thîm gweithgar y Steddfod fe allwch fod yn sicr y galla’ pethau fynd yn rhemp yn sydyn iawn.

Ac os fyddwch chi yn ymuno â ni ar deledu, ar y radio, ar alw neu yn mynychu’r Ŵyl ym Meifod gobeithio y gwnewch chi fwynhau, a chofiwch amdanom ni sy’n poeni am bopeth o’r tywydd i liw sanau’r archdderwydd newydd!

I spoke to festival organiser Pierre Davies, who told me that the idea for Do Not Go Gentle was conceived "on a whim".

He said: "It all started after I read about a new Dylan Thomas festival in Ireland". He refers to the Dylan Thomas Literary Weekend held in County Clare in May, which celebrated Caitlin Thomas' Irish connections and the fact her father, Francis Macnamara, once lived in the festival venue, the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon.

News of the Irish festival, and perhaps its tenuous link to the poet, inspired Davies to create an event in Uplands area of Swansea, which has a far greater connection to Thomas but, he felt, was doing little to celebrate him.

He said: "We only started planning it about six months ago, which is a little risky for a festival - starting it on a whim! But people have really grasped the idea and the response has been great."

Davies explained the reasoning behind creating a festival that the poet may have enjoyed: "He seemed to enjoy small cosy bars and pubs. I think he'd be right at home in the venues chosen for the festival; we've tried to create an ambience that he might have enjoyed."

For a fledging festival there's a full and varied line-up, something Davies attributes to the respect shown towards the poet. He said, "It's all thanks to Dylan really; everyone we've contacted, when we've mentioned Dylan Thomas, they've said yes."

Writers involved in the weekend include the inaugural winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize, Rachel Trezise; poet Rhian Edwards, who was the winner of the 2012 John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry; writer and co-organiser of the recent xx minifest of women's writing, Susie Wild; plus comic poet and performer Mab Jones.

There's also a number of musicians from Swansea on the line-up such as Out Of The Woods, Captain Cat & The Sailors, Rag Foundation, Andy Jones, Thistledown and The Attic People.

Other musicians involved include Llandeilo duo Trwbador, Jemma Krysa, The Gentle Good, Peter Bruntnell and west Walian band Chailo Sim.

I asked Davies for some of his highlights. He said: "We've fantastic musical artists like Greta Isaac, who's only 17 and going to be star I think, plus great poets like Mab Jones and Rhian Edwards.

"Julie Murphy is going to be performing and we have the Dunvant Male Choir, which perhaps people won't have expected. They are amazing, and will be performing the Eli Jenkins Prayer from Under Milk Wood in a 300 capacity church. It'll be impressive.

"Scottish comedian Phil Kay is also performing, and we've just found out that some of the shortlisted authors for the Dylan Thomas Prize will be attending and reading extracts from their books."

There's also a little drama thrown into the mix, as Swansea-born actress Helen Griffin will perform the one-woman show Caitlin, bringing the love story of Caitlin and Dylan Thomas to life.

Do Not Go Gentle takes place between 3 and 4 November. For more details visit the website donotgogentlefestival.com.

There are more Dylan-related events taking place in Swansea over the next week or so.

The winner of the 2012 Dylan Thomas Prize will be announced at a ceremony on 9 November, the 59th anniversary of the poet's death.

The five shortlisted authors vying for the £30,000 prize are Chibundu Onuzo, Andrea Eames, Maggie Shipstead, Tom Benn and DW Wilson.

The Dylan Thomas Festival, which runs annually at the Dylan Thomas Centre and is unrelated to the Do Not Go Gentle festival, also continues until 9 November.

Upcoming events include a performance from Irish poet Paul Durcan, a talk by football journalist Graham Hunter on the similarities between FC Barcelona and Swansea City Football club and a poetry workshop by Rhian Edwards.

Derek Shiel will present his film on the Welsh artist and poet David Jones, poets Ros Barber and Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch read from their latest works and Nigel Jenkins will launch the book Real Swansea 2, and will be in conversation with the series editor Peter Finch.