In 2008, Ifor ap Glyn was appointed Bardd Plant Cymru (Children's Poet Laureate for Wales), holding the role for a year.
[10] On 1 March 2016, Ifor ap Glyn was appointed National Poet of Wales, succeeding Gillian Clarke.
[11] During his tenure, Ifor ap Glyn wrote in both Welsh and English, with his commissioned work including poems to mark the 20th anniversary of the Senedd, the centenary of the Armistice, Wales qualifying for the Euro 2016 football tournament, the 80th anniversary of Mynydd Epynt eviction, the reopening of the home of poet Hedd Wyn to the public, and the 2017 Champions League Final being held in Cardiff.
He also composed poems for patients at Velindre Cancer Centre, to support DEC Cymru's Indonesia Tsunami appeal, and to welcome Syrian refugees to Wales.
[13] He was succeeded by Hanan Issa, who Ifor ap Glyn said was a poet that he admired and would "bring a fresh voice to the national conversation”.