The group formed in 1945 whilst the three members, Meredydd Evans (colloquially known as Merêd), Cledwyn Jones and Robin Williams, were students at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.

[6] Triawd y Coleg's performances brought them to the attention of BBC producer Sam Jones, who recruited them to be the stars of the Welsh-language light entertainment radio programme Noson Lawen.

[7] Broadcast monthly from Bangor, each edition of the show was bookended by performances by the group; they were nurtured by Jones, who was known to lock Evans in a room until he produced words for a tune.

[10] Triawd y Coleg were the first musical performers in the Welsh-language achieve fame through the medium of radio and they have been credited by writer Sarah Hill for "creating in effect a Welsh popular culture from the ground up".

"[6] One of the group's best-known songs is "Triawd y Buarth" (The Farmyard Trio), in which Robin imitates a cow ("Mw-mw"), Cledwyn a sheep ("Me-me") and Merêd a duck ("Cwac-cwac").

[24] Meredydd Evans influenced "almost every sphere of Welsh cultural life, from folk music and philosophy to broadcasting and language politics", according to journalist Meic Stephens.