Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

1997 in Wales

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Centuries:
  
18th 19th 20th 21st

Decades:
  
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

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

Contents

Incumbents

  • Prince of Wales – 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.
  • 21 January - Wales child abuse scandal: Over eighty people are named as child abusers in care homes in North Wales.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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.

    • 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

    1997 in Wales Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA