1997 in Wales explained

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

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.^[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.^[3]
• 24 May – Robert Hardy officially opens the Judge's Lodging museum in Presteigne.^[4]
• 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.^[5]
• 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.^[6]
  • 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.^[7]

Awards

• Glyndŵr Award – Alun Hoddinott
• National Eisteddfod of Wales – held in Bala
  • Chair – Ceri Wyn Jones, "Gwaddol"^[8]
  • Crown – Cen Williams, "Branwen"^[9]
  • Prose Medal – Angharad Tomos, Y Canol Llonydd^[10]
  • Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Gwyneth Carey^[11]
  • 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^[12]
• 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^[13]
• 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^[14]
• 10 March – Wilf Wooller, cricketer, rugby player, journalist and sports administrator, 84^[15]
• 2 June – Eddie Thomas, boxing champion and manager, 70^[16]
• 10 July – Ivor Allchurch, footballer, 67^[17]
• 16 July – Ron Berry, writer, 77^[18]
• 2 August – Rhydwen Williams, poet, novelist, and minister, 80^[19]
• 20 August – Bernard Cowey, Wales international rugby union player, 85
• 30 August – Gwilym Tilsley, poet and archdruid, 86^[20]
• 31 August (in Paris) – Diana, Princess of Wales, 36
• 22 September – George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy, former Speaker of the House of Commons, 88^[21]
• 6 November – Ray Daniel, footballer, 69
• 13 November – Alexander Cordell, novelist, 83^[22]
• 15 November – Alf Day, footballer, 90^[23]
• 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

See also

• 1997 in Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. News: Princess Diana sparks landmines row. BBC. On This Day. 15 January 1997.
2. News: Carers accused in child abuse inquiry. BBC. On This Day. 21 January 1997.
3. Book: Vacher's Parliamentary Companion. 1999. A.S. Kerswill. 63.
4. http://www.judgeslodging.org.uk/page/history/ The Judge's Lodging: History
5. Book: Mary Robertson. The Diana I Knew. 1998. Thorndike Press. 978-0-7862-1653-6. 221.
6. Book: Nancy Edwards. Landscape and Settlement in Medieval Wales. 1997. Oxbow Books. 978-1-900188-36-4. 47.
7. Book: International Who's who in Classical Music. 2007. Europa Publications Limited. 978-1-85743-416-3. 445.
8. Web site: Winners of the Chair. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
9. Web site: Winners of the Crown. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 17 November 2019.
10. Web site: Winners of the Prose Medal. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 7 November 2019.
11. Web site: Enillwyr Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen. cy. BBC Cymru. 24 November 2019.
12. Book: Cyfres y Cewri: 17. Fi Dai Sy' 'Ma. 9780860741428. Gwasg Gwynedd. Dai Jones. 1997.
13. News: BBC Wales Sport Personality winners . BBC Sport . 2 August 2021.
14. Web site: Remembering the original Mr and Mrs. WalesOnline. 27 March 2013. 8 October 2019.
15. Wooller, Wilfred (1912–1997), rugby player and cricketer . 978-0-19-861412-8 . 10.1093/ref:odnb/56486 . 2004 . Richards . Huw .
16. Web site: Obituary:Eddie Thomas. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-eddie-thomas-1254082.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription . live. 4 June 1997. Harry Mullan. The Independent. 4 February 2020.
17. Book: Ivor Allchurch M.B.E. . David . Farmer . Peter . Stead . Christopher Davies (Publishing) Ltd. . Swansea . 1998 . 0-7154-0733-3.
18. Web site: Obituary: Ron Berry . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary--ron-berry-1252238.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription . live . The Independent . Stephens, Meic . 24 July 1997 . 28 December 2010.
19. Web site: Obituary: Rhydwen Williams. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-rhydwen-williams-1244189.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription. 7 August 1997. Meic Stephens. Meic Stephens. The Independent. 6 October 2019.
20. Book: A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland. Epworth Press. 2000. 9780716205340. 353.
21. News: Obituary: Viscount Tonypandy. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-viscount-tonypandy-1240773.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription. Beavan. John. The Independent. 23 September 1997. 18 November 2019.
22. Book: Buckingham, Mike.. Alexander Cordell. 1999. GPC Books. Frame, Richard.. 058527911X. Cardiff. 45729340.
23. Book: Chalk . Gary . Holley . Duncan . Bull . David . All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. 2013. Southampton. Hagiology Publishing. 978-0-9926-8640-6. 54.