2007 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 2007 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• First Minister – Rhodri Morgan
• Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Hain
• Archbishop of Wales – Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Selwyn Iolen

Events

• 2 January – A survey finds that eight of the top ten "unhealthiest places to live" in the UK are in Wales, with Merthyr Tydfil leading the list.^[1]
• 12 January – Welsh actor Michael Sheen is nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor in a Film (for his performance as Tony Blair in The Queen).^[2]
• 16 January – It is announced that a £14 billion training academy for all three armed forces is to be built at St Athan in south Wales. (The project was scrapped three years later.)^[3]
• 30 January – Connie Fisher wins the Critics' Circle Most Promising Newcomer Award.^[4]
• 1 February – Travel Magazine names Oxwich beach the most beautiful in Britain.^[5]
• 7 February – A letter bomb is sent to the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency centre in Swansea, south Wales.^[6] Four workers are taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, including a woman with cuts to her hands and body.
• 9 February – Unpredicted snow storms wreak havoc across the country. 602 schools and many more business forced to close. Traffic is heavily disrupted. Parts of the M4 motorway temporary close and 500 people are trapped in cars on the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands.
• 12 February – A report by the National Trust reveals that more than 70% of the coastline in Wales, including 143 miles of coastline, is under threat from coastal erosion and flooding.
• 22 February – It is confirmed that Prince Harry, the son of the Prince of Wales, will be serving with his regiment in Iraq.
• February – A lightning strike severely damages Llandaff Cathedral organ.
• March – Llwynywermod estate in the Brecon Beacons is purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall to provide a Welsh residence for the Prince of Wales (now Charles III).
• 1 April – Prescription charges are abolished for NHS patients in Wales.
• 2 April – Smoking ban comes into force in all enclosed public places.
• 4 May – In the elections for the National Assembly for Wales, Labour suffer a net loss of three seats, Plaid Cymru make a net gain of three seats, and all other parties retain the same number of seats as before the election. Labour no longer have an overall majority. Alun Pugh becomes the only Assembly minister to lose his seat, defeated by Conservative Darren Millar. Labour defector John Marek loses his seat to his former constituency secretary, Lesley Griffiths. Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar becomes the first Assembly member from an ethnic minority.
• 8 May – First public flight on the publicly subsidised air service between the new Anglesey Airport and Cardiff International Airport.
• 16 May – It is announced that Prince Harry will not, after all, be serving with his regiment in Iraq.
• 26 May – It is announced that the Military Cross awarded to Siegfried Sassoon will go on display at the Royal Welch Fusiliers museum in Caernarfon.
• 4 June – Claire Jones is appointed official harpist to the Prince of Wales^[7]
• 17 June – Paul Potts, from Port Talbot, wins the national final of Britain's Got Talent.
• 27 June – One Wales agreement between Welsh Labour Party and Plaid Cymru.
• July - The International Eisteddfod at Llangollen is the best-attended since the event began, with ticket sales up 11% on the previous year.
• 26 July – Efforts to save the life of Shambo, a black Friesian bull living at the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint, finally fail and the bull is put down after testing positive for tuberculosis.
• 4–11 August - The National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Mold, Flintshire.
• 14 September – Ioan Gruffudd marries Alice Evans.
• 17 September – Five people are killed in a two-car collision on the M4 motorway at Newport.
• 30 September – Unveiling of the first Welsh national memorial to the Falklands War takes place in Cardiff.^[8]
• 16 October – Houses are evacuated when part of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal's bank collapses at Gilwern.^[9]

Arts and literature

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – T. James Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Tudur Dylan Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Mary Payne
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal – Nic Ros
• Wales Book of the Year

• • English language: Lloyd Jones, Mr Cassini
  • Welsh language: Llwyd Owen, Ffydd Gobaith Cariad
• Dylan Thomas Award:
• BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition

^[10]

• • Main Prize – Shenyang
  • Song Prize – Elizabeth Watts
• Glyndŵr Award – Shani Rhys James^[11]
• Cân i Gymru

Einir Dafydd and Ceri Wyn Jones – "Blwyddyn Mas"

New books

Welsh language

• Tony Bianchi – Pryfeta^[12]
• Mererid Hopwood – Ar Bwys
• Watcyn L Jones – Cofio Capel Celyn^[13]
• Gareth Miles – Y Proffwyd a’i Ddwy Jesebel
• Mary Annes Payne – Rhodd Mam^[14]

English language

• Phil Carradice – People’s Poetry of the Great War
• Grahame Davies – Real Wrexham
• Peter Ho Davies – The Welsh Girl
• Eirian Jones – The War of the Little Englishman: Enclosure Riots on a Lonely Welsh Hillside
• Owen Sheers – Resistance
• J. P. R. Williams – Given the Breaks: My Life in Rugby

Music

Albums

• The Gentle Good – Dawel Disgyn (EP)
• Aled Jones – Reason To Believe
• Karl Jenkins – This Land of Ours (with the Cory Band and Cantorion)
• Katherine Jenkins – Viva
• Kelly Jones – Only the Names Have Been Changed
• Natasha Marsh – Amour
• Paul Potts – One Chance
• Gruff Rhys – Candylion
• Lisa Scott-Lee – Never and Now
• Stereophonics – Pull the Pin^[15]
• Bryn Terfel – A Song in My Heart
• Elin Manahan Thomas – Eternal Light

Broadcasting

• 3 January – Ian Watkins, better known as "H" from Steps, becomes an entrant in the fifth UK series of Celebrity Big Brother. On the same day, he announces he is gay.
• 18 January – S4C introduces a new corporate logo and brand.^[16]
• 14 July – Radio Tircoed begins broadcasting on a permanent basis as a community radio station.
• 8 October – BBC Radio Cymru relaunches its C2 youth and music output.
• 29 November - XFM South Wales launches.

Welsh-language television

• Codi Canu

English-language television

• Coal House (documentary series)
• Keith Allen stars as the Sheriff of Nottingham in a second series of Robin Hood.
• Coming Home
• Gavin & Stacey, starring Ruth Jones, Joanna Page and Rob Brydon
• Glyn's Virgin Voters, one-off documentary featuring Glyn Wise^[17]

Sport

• 17 January – ISPAL (Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure) is officially launched.
• 17 March – Wales defeat England in their final match of the 2007 Six Nations Championship, to finish fifth in the final table (beating Scotland only on overall points difference).
• 10 May – The James Bevan Trophy is launched, to commemorate the Australian-born Welsh-raised man who was the first ever captain of the Wales rugby team.
• 3 June – Wales reach the semi-finals of the World Sevens (rugby union) tournament at Murrayfield.
• 19 June – Darren Morgan wins the European Masters snooker championship.
• July – The Welsh Super Cup (football) is scheduled to be held at Aberystwyth.
• 3 August – Wales are defeated 62-5 by England in a warm-up match for the Rugby World Cup.
• 29 September – Wales lose to Fiji in their decisive Group B match, and thus fail to reach the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
• 29 September – Wales wins the gold medal at the European Mixed Curling Championships in Madrid, Spain. The Welsh team of Adrian Meikle (skip), Lesley Carol (third), Andrew Tanner (second), Blair Hughes (lead) and Chris Wells (alternate) took the Gold Medal in a thrilling Final against Denmark.
• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Joe Calzaghe^[18]

Births

• 17 March – Ruby Evans, artistic gymnast^[19]
• 17 December – James, son of Prince Edward and Sophie (then Earl and Countess of Wessex). The child is given his father's subsidiary title of "Viscount Severn" as a courtesy title, in recognition of his mother's Welsh ancestry.^[20] (Prince Edward, Sophie and James have since become Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Earl of Wessex, respectively.)

Deaths

• 4 January – Gren, cartoonist, 72^[21]
• 12 January – Berwyn Jones, athlete, 66^[22]
• 14 January – Peter Prendergast, painter, 60^[23]
• 21 January – Peter Clarke, Children's Commissioner for Wales, 58^[24]
• 24 January – David Morris, MEP and peace activist, 76^[25]
• 30 January – Griffith Jones, actor, 97^[26]
• 6 February – Sir Gareth Roberts, physicist, 66^[27]
• 7 February – Brian Williams, Welsh international rugby player, 44
• 10 February – Bill Clement, Welsh international rugby player and Secretary of the WRU, 91
• 21 February – John Robins, rugby player, 80
• 22 February – Edgar Evans, opera singer, 94
• 1 April – Ivor Wynne Jones, journalist, 80
• 3 April – Marion Eames, novelist, 85
• 12 April
  • Len Hill, sportsman, 65
  • Maldwyn Jones, historian, 84
• 13 April – Tony Goble, artist, 63^[28]
• 22 May – Ifor Owen, illustrator, 91
• 11 June – Mercer Simpson, writer, 81
• 12 June – Colin Fletcher, backpacker and writer, 85^[29]
• 12 August – Alwyn Rice Jones, former Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of St Asaph, 73^[30]
• 16 August
  • Will Edwards, politician, 69
  • Roland Mathias, poet, 91
• 6 September – Byron Stevenson, footballer, 50
• 9 September
  • Steve Jones, rugby player, 55
  • Sir Tasker Watkins, VC, 88^[31]
• 14 October – Carol Evans, cricketer, 68
• 31 October (in Málaga) - Ray Gravell, rugby player and radio presenter, 56^[32]
• 15 November – W. S. Jones, author, 87^[33]
• December
  • Ron Davies, footballer, 75
  • Richard Williams, conductor
• date unknown – Norman Harris, rugby player

See also

• 2007 in Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. Web site: Towns among most sick in the UK. WalesOnline. 11 January 2007. 20 September 2018.
2. Web site: Film in 2007. 20 September 2018.
3. Web site: Huge defence training project scrapped as the cuts hit home. 19 October 2010. The Times. 18 June 2024.
4. Web site: Problem solved: new talent award for Connie Fisher. 31 January 2018. The Guardian. 20 September 2018.
5. Web site: Gower beach named Britain's best. 19 February 2007. BBC News. 8 July 2021.
6. Web site: Police arrest letter bombs suspect. 19 February 2007. The Guardian. 20 September 2018.
7. News: Royal harpist prepares for debut. 4 June 2007. news.bbc.co.uk.
8. Web site: Memorial unveiled for Falklands. 30 September 2007. BBC. 8 July 2021.
9. Web site: Canal to be drained after burst. 5 November 2007. BBC. 16 September 2019.
10. Web site: 2007 competition. 2007. BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. BBC. 28 July 2011.
11. Web site: BBC - Wales - Arts - Shani Rhys James . www.bbc.co.uk . 2 August 2021.
12. Web site: Pryfeta (Nofel Fuddugol Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru Sir y Fflint a'r Cyffiniau 2007) by Tony Bianchi Waterstones . www.waterstones.com . 2 August 2021 . en.
13. Web site: Cofio Capel Celyn. Y Lolfa. 16 September 2019.
14. Web site: Medal ryddiaith i Mary. 8 August 2007. cy. BBC Arlein. 8 June 2018.
15. Web site: Stereophonics Pull The Pin Review . D'Cruze . Sonja . . 2007 . 29 July 2013.
16. Web site: S4C gets a rebrand. 2007-01-11 . Oatts. Joanne. 2007-01-09. Digital Spy. https://web.archive.org/web/20070111094254/http://digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds41509.html. 11 January 2007 . live.
17. https://web.archive.org/web/20150925094700/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b8c31a828 BFI: Glyn's Virgin Voters (2007)
18. News: BBC Wales Sport Personality winners . BBC Sport . 2 August 2021.
19. Web site: Ruby Evans . www.eurosport.com . 30 July 2024.
20. News: Wessex titles for Edward and Sophie . BBC News. 19 June 1999. 3 May 2011.
21. News: Iconic newspaper cartoonist dies . BBC News . 4 January 2007 . 4 September 2019.
22. Web site: Obituary:Berwyn Jones. 17 January 2007. Ian Golden. Cowbridge Gem. 4 September 2019.
23. Web site: Obituary:Peter Prendergast . 20 January 2007. 4 September 2019. The Daily Telegraph.
24. Web site: Welsh child tsar dies. 22 January 2007. Sara Gaines. The Guardian. 4 September 2019.
25. Web site: The Rev David Morris. 22 May 2007. Darren Williams. The Guardian. 4 September 2019.
26. Web site: Griffith Jones. 7 February 2007. The Independent. 4 September 2019. 20 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180620004727/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/griffith-jones-435305.html. dead.
27. Web site: Sir Gareth Roberts . 2007-02-06 . 2011-05-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604002505/http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/News/ReportsandPublications/Magazine/MagazineArchive/SPAArchive/SPAJune07/ObituaryJune07.htm . 4 June 2011 . dmy-all .
28. Web site: Peter Wakelin. 27 April 2007. Tony Goble: One of Wales's best loved artists, he dedicated himself to the local community. The Guardian. 15 September 2019.
29. News: Colin Fletcher, 85, a Trailblazer of Modern Backpacking, Dies. The New York Times. 19 June 2007.
30. Web site: Former Archbishop of Wales dies. 12 August 2007. BBC News. 15 September 2019.
31. News: Welsh hero Tasker dies at 88 . icWales.co.uk . 9 September 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120527142124/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_headline=welsh-hero-tasker-dies-at-88&method=full&objectid=19759728&siteid=50082-name_page.html . 27 May 2012 . dead.
32. News: Obituary: Ray Gravell . Paul . Rees . 2 November 2007 . The Guardian.
33. Web site: W. S. Jones. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/w-s-jones-758763.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription. 20 November 2007. The Independent. Meic Stephens. 8 July 2021.