1986 in Wales

Incumbents

Prince of Wales – Charles

Princess of Wales – Diana

Secretary of State for Wales – Nicholas Edwards

Archbishop of Wales – Derrick Childs, Bishop of Monmouth (retired)

Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Elerydd

Events

21 April - Elizabeth II is presented with a kilo of Welsh gold for her 60th birthday, in the knowledge that supplies are becoming scarce.

May - Cardiff City and Swansea City are both relegated to the Football League Fourth Division in England. Swansea, who were in the First Division between 1981 and 1983, recently came close to going out of existence due to huge debts.

30 June - Mardy Colliery, the last pit in the Rhondda, is closed.

Summer - The Wales National Ice Rink opens in Cardiff.

November - Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech Castles and Caernarfon and Conwy town walls, designated collectively) become the first Welsh sites designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in the first tranche of U.K. designations.

December - Bersham Colliery, the last deep mine in the Denbighshire Coalfield, is closed.

Arts and literature

Alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers formed at Oakdale Comprehensive School.

Ballet Cymru formed as Cwmni Ballet Gwent, a touring classical ballet company based in Newport.

The first Welsh Proms are held at St David's Hall, Cardiff.

The Old Devils, Kingsley Amis's novel set in Wales, wins the Booker Prize.

Publisher Honno is established in Aberystwyth to publish writing by the women of Wales.

Awards

National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Fishguard)

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Gwynn ap Gwilym

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - T James Jones

National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Ray Evans

Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Robat Gruffudd, Llosgi

English language

Duncan Bush - Salt

Mary Jones - Resistance

Jenny Nimmo - The Snow Spider

Christopher Norris - Contest of Faculties

Oliver Reynolds - Skevington's Daughter

Alun Richards - Days of Absence

R. S. Thomas - Experimenting with an Amen

Gwyn Alf Williams - When Was Wales?

Raymond Williams - Loyalties

Welsh language

J. Eirian Davies - Cerddi

Bobi Jones - Hunllef Arthur

Dic Jones - Sgubo'r Storws

Rhiannon Davies Jones - Dyddiadur Mary Gwyn

Elyn L. Jones - Cyfrinach Hannah

Angharad Tomos - Yma o Hyd

Classical

Arwel Hughes - Gloria Patri

Daniel Jones - Cello Concerto

Colin Ross - Prelude for Piano

Albums

Y Cyrff - Dan y Cownter

Bonnie Tyler - Secrets Dreams And Forbidden Fire (album)

Chichester Psalms, featuring Aled Jones

Welsh-language films

Ibiza, Ibiza

Milwr Bychan

Rhosyn a Rhith (English: Coming Up Roses)

Welsh-language television

Sam Tân (Fireman Sam)

English-language television

A Child's Christmas in Wales (adaptation of a short story by Dylan Thomas)

BBC Wales wins awards for Penyberth and Ms Rhymney Valley 1985 (documentary) at the Celtic Film and Television Festival.

Chris Stuart - Cha Cha Chat Show

Sports

Athletics: Kirsty Wade becomes the first Welsh woman to win the gold medal in the 800m and 1500m at the Commonwealth Games.

Boxing:

9 April - Robert Dickie wins the British featherweight title.

Cricket: Greg Thomas is capped for England. Matthew Maynard becomes the youngest player ever to score 1000 runs for Glamorgan CCC.

Gymnastics: Andrew Morris becomes British men's champion for the third time.

Births

9 January - Craig Davies, footballer

21 February - Charlotte Church, singer

28 March - Jay Curtis, broadcaster and actor

11 April - Dai Greene, athlete

25 May - Geraint Thomas, cyclist

17 November - Joe Jacobson, footballer

Deaths

8 January - Mansel Thomas, conductor and composer, 76

9 January - Wilson Jones, footballer, 71

15 January - Alfred Bestall, illustrator, 93

16 February - John Tripp, poet, 58

28 February - Sir Thomas Williams, lawyer and politician, 70

March - Lewis Valentine, political activist, 92

1 March - Tommy Farr, boxer, 72

10 March - Ray Milland, actor, 79

14 March - Sir Huw Wheldon, television producer and presenter, 69

30 April - George Whitcombe, footballer, 84

5 June - John Bevan, Wales rugby union coach, 38

29 July - Gordon Mills, music industry manager, 51

29 August - Annie Powell, politician and Wales's first Communist mayor, 79

1 November - Tom Arthur, Wales national rugby player, 80

6 November (at Henley-on-Thames) - Howard Thomas, radio producer

13 December - Glyn Daniel, archaeologist, 72

date unknown

Geoffrey D. Lloyd, journalist

Fred Warren, footballer, 78