1997 in Wales

1997 in Wales

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1997 in: The United Kingdom • England • Ireland • Scotland

Other events of 1997

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1997 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Secretary of State for Wales – William Hague (until 3 May); Ron Davies
• Archbishop of Wales – Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dafydd Rowlands

Events

• 15 January - Diana, Princess of Wales calls for an international ban on landmines.^[1]
• 21 January - Wales child abuse scandal: Over eighty people are named as child abusers in care homes in North Wales.^[2]
• March - Launch of the "Welsh Language in Chubut" project.
• 13 March - Launch of the Aberystwyth Centre for the Book.
• 1 May - In the UK General Election, four female MPs are elected in Wales -- Julie Morgan, Ann Clwyd, Betty Williams and Jackie Lawrence. Lembit Öpik becomes MP for Montgomeryshire.
• 24 May - Robert Hardy officially opens the Judge's Lodging museum in Presteigne.^[3]
• 31 August - Newsreader Martyn Lewis announces the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
• 1 September - The Prince of Wales flies to Paris to bring home the body of his ex-wife. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, the only survivor of the crash in which Diana died, remains in a critical condition.
• 6 September - At the funeral of the former Princess of Wales, her coffin is carried into Westminster Abbey by a contingent of Welsh Guards.
• 18 September - The referendum on Welsh devolution results in a narrow "Yes" vote.
• 13 October - First section of the restored Welsh Highland Railway (60 cm (2 ft) gauge) officially opens over 5 km (3 mi) of former standard gauge trackbed between Caernarfon and Dinas.
• Alun Hoddinott receives the Glyndwr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales.
• Bryn Euryn, an archaeological site near Colwyn Bay, is identified as the probable base of Cynlas Goch, a 6th-century king.
• Cardiff Arms Park is demolished to make way for a new stadium.
• Welsh Sheepdog Society is founded.
• Jenny Pride becomes the first Welsh female to command a unit of the Royal Engineers.

Arts

• Sir Harry Secombe suffers a stroke.
• October - The Red Violin festival is held for the first time in Cardiff.

Awards

• Glyndŵr Award - Alun Hoddinott
• National Eisteddfod of Wales - held in Bala
  • Chair - Ceri Wyn Jones
  • Crown - Cen Williams
  • Literature Prize - Angharad Tomos, Y Canol Llonydd
  • Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Gwyneth Carey
  • Richard Burton Prize - Rhys ap Trefor

• Welsh Arts Council Book of the Year - Iwan Llwyd, Dan Ddylanwad (Under the Influence)

Books

• Rees Davies - The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr
• Dai Jones - Fi Dai Sy' 'Ma^[4]
• Angharad Tomos - Wele'n Gwawrio
• Gerwyn Williams - Cydio’n Dynn

Music

• L'Héritage des Celtes, featuring Elaine Morgan - Finisterre
• Bryn Terfel makes his debut at La Scala as Figaro.

Albums

• Acrimony - Tumuli Shroomaroom
• Manic Street Preachers - Everything Live
• Stereophonics release their first album, Word Gets Around.
• Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Barafundle
• Iwcs a Doyle - Edrychiad Cynta’

Film

• Ioan Gruffudd and Bernard Fox appear in the blockbuster Titanic.
• Michael Sheen stars in Wilde.
• Horror film Darklands is filmed in Port Talbot.

Broadcasting

English-language television

• Visions of Snowdonia with Iolo Williams

Welsh-language television

• Ffermio
• Pam Fi Duw? starring Brian Hibbard
• Tylluan Wen starring John Ogwen
• Y Clwb Rygbi

Sport

• Boxing:
  • 11 October - Joe Calzaghe beats Chris Eubank to become the Super Middleweight World Champion.
  • 19 December - Barry Jones beats Wilson Palacio to become the WBO Super featherweight Champion.
• Cricket - Glamorgan win the County Championship.

Births

• 3 January - Joe Morrell, footballer
• 23 January - Shaheen Jafargholi, singer and actor
• 22 March - Harry Wilson, footballer
• 24 March - George Thomas, footballer

Deaths

• 9 March (in Los Angeles) - Terry Nation, screenwriter often credited with inventing the Daleks, 66
• 10 March - Wilf Wooller, cricketer, rugby player, journalist and sports administrator, 84
• 2 June - Eddie Thomas, boxing champion and manager, 70
• 10 July - Ivor Allchurch, footballer, 67
• 16 July - Ron Berry, writer, 77
• 2 August - Rhydwen Williams, poet, novelist, and minister, 80
• 20 August - Bernard Cowey, Wales international rugby union player, 85
• 30 August - Gwilym Tilsley, poet and archdruid, 86
• 31 August (in Paris) - Diana, Princess of Wales, 36
• 22 September - George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, former Speaker of the House of Commons, 88
• 6 November - Ray Daniel, footballer, 69
• 13 November - Alexander Cordell, novelist, 83
• 16 November - Aubrey Edwards, cricketer, 79
• 16 December - Leon Eagles, actor, 65
• 28 December - Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian, 58
• date unknown
  • David Gwerfyl Davies, organist and composer
  • Alf Day, footballer
  • Douglas Jones, footballer
  • Reg Parker, footballer
  • Alan Taylor, TV presenter

References