1997 in Wales

Incumbents

• 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 and .
• date unknown
  • 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, "Gwaddol"
  • Crown – Cen Williams, "Branwen"
  • Prose Medal – 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.

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

• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Scott Gibbs
• 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
• 15 May – Maisie Potter, snowboarder

Deaths

• January – Alan Taylor, TV presenter, 72
• 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
• 15 November – Alf Day, footballer, 90
• 16 November – Aubrey Edwards, cricketer, 79
• 28 December – Ronnie Williams, actor and comedian, 58
• date unknown
  • David Gwerfyl Davies, organist and composer
  • Reg Parker, footballer

References

References

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2. (21 January 1997). "Carers accused in child abuse inquiry". BBC.
3. (1999). "Vacher's Parliamentary Companion". A.S. Kerswill.
4. [http://www.judgeslodging.org.uk/page/history/ The Judge's Lodging: History]
5. Mary Robertson. (1998). "The Diana I Knew". Thorndike Press.
6. Nancy Edwards. (1997). "Landscape and Settlement in Medieval Wales". Oxbow Books.
7. (2007). "International Who's who in Classical Music". Europa Publications Limited.
8. (17 November 2019). "Winners of the Chair".
9. (17 November 2019). "Winners of the Crown".
10. "Winners of the Prose Medal".
11. "Enillwyr Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen".
12. Dai Jones. (1997). "Cyfres y Cewri: 17. Fi Dai Sy' 'Ma". Gwasg Gwynedd.
13. "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport.
14. (27 March 2013). "Remembering the original Mr and Mrs".
15. (2004). "Wooller, Wilfred (1912–1997), rugby player and cricketer".
16. Harry Mullan. (4 June 1997). "Obituary:Eddie Thomas".
17. (1998). "Ivor Allchurch M.B.E.". Christopher Davies (Publishing) Ltd..
18. Stephens, Meic. (24 July 1997). "Obituary: Ron Berry". The Independent.
19. Meic Stephens. (7 August 1997). "Obituary: Rhydwen Williams".
20. (2000). "A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland". Epworth Press.
21. Beavan, John. (23 September 1997). "Obituary: Viscount Tonypandy". [[The Independent]].
22. Buckingham, Mike.. (1999). "Alexander Cordell". GPC Books.
23. (2013). "All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC". Hagiology Publishing.