2014 in Wales explained

This article is about the particular significance of the year 2014 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• First Minister – Carwyn Jones
• Secretary of State for Wales – David Jones
• Archbishop of Wales – Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Christine James

Events

• 1 January
  • Flooding affects many parts of Wales after several days of heavy rainfall. The worst-affected areas include the Amman Valley and parts of Pembrokeshire.^[1]
  • The 30th annual New Year's Day swim at Saundersfoot attracts over a thousand participants.^[2]
• 31 January – Ann Clwyd announces that she is to stand down as a parliamentary MP at the 2015 general election.^[3]
• February – Caerphilly County Borough Council launches the first dual Welsh/English language Heroes Welcome scheme.
• 2 February – It is announced that the wartime grave of Welsh artist Gwen John has been located in France.^[4]
• 18 February – Appeal Court judges rule that the life sentence passed on Mark Bridger for the murder of April Jones is legal and should be allowed to stand.^[5] Bridger had already abandoned his appeal against the sentence.
• 25 February – First Minister Carwyn Jones begins an official 5-day visit to the United States, during which he meets members of the recently-formed Friends of Wales Caucus, led by Congressman Morgan Griffith.^[6]
  • • 11 March Week In, Week Out reveals that the developers of the proposed Circuit of Wales have asked the Welsh and UK governments to commit up to £50m towards the scheme.^[7]
  • Plaid Cymru's Sustainable Communities group publishes its own "Property and Planning Bill"^[8] enshrining the six main principles of its Property Act and establishing the Welsh language as a statutory material consideration in the planning system.
• 13 March – Dafydd Elis-Thomas loses his role as transport spokesperson and chair of the assembly's environment committee, as a result of criticisms of party leader Leanne Wood.^[9]
• 2 April – Welsh Health Minister Mark Drakeford announces that the Welsh Government is considering a ban on electronic cigarettes in public places.^[10]
• 29 to 30 April – Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom makes a 2-day visit to Wales.^[11]
• 19 May – Businesses close and hundreds line the streets of Cowbridge for the funeral of a local man killed in an army helicopter crash in Afghanistan.^[12]
• 24 May – The Queen's Baton arrives in Wales for a week-long journey, on its way to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.^[13]
• 6 June – Welsh veterans of the D-Day landings return to Normandy to take part in the 70th anniversary commemoration.^[14]
• 7 June – The newly discovered archeological remains of a medieval convent, cemetery and Tudor mansion in Ceredigion are opened to view by the public.^[15]
• 24 June – Glyndŵr University loses the right to enrol overseas students as a result of an investigation into the fraudulent use of English language qualifications.^[16]
• 1 July – The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visit Dyffryn Gardens.^[17]
• 14 July – David Jones loses his position as Secretary of State for Wales in a Cabinet reshuffle.^[18]
• 15 July – Stephen Crabb is appointed Secretary of State for Wales.^[19]
• 21 July – British prime minister David Cameron attends the Royal Welsh Show at Builth Wells.^[20]
• 2 to 9 August – National Eisteddfod of Wales held in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.^[21]
• 1 September – Replacement Pont Briwet opens to rail traffic.
• 4-5 September – The 2014 NATO Summit is held at Newport. It is the first time a NATO summit has been held in Britain outside London.^[22]
• 22 September – Mark Drakeford announces that Wales is to be the only UK country to date where the cancer drug Abraxane will be available from the NHS.^[23]
• November – Milford Haven Refinery decommissioned.
• 28 to 29 December – Wales experiences the coldest night of the year, with temperatures down to –6.7 C in parts of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys.^[24]
• 30 December – Welsh recipients of New Year Honours include Mary Quant (DBE),^[25] Paul Silk (KCB), Shân Legge-Bourke (DCVO) and Professor Teresa Rees (CBE).

Arts and literature

Welsh Awards

• Glyndŵr Award - Angharad Price^[26]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales:^[27] Chair – Ceri Wyn Jones^[28]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Guto Dafydd^[29]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Lleucu Roberts^[30]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal – Dewi Wyn Williams, La Primera Cena^[31]
• Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen: Lleucu Roberts, Rhwng Edafedd^[32]
• Wales Book of the Year

^[33]

• • English language:
    • Fiction: Francesca Rhydderch The Rice Paper Diaries
    • Non-fiction: Meic Stephens Rhys Davies: A Writer's Life
    • Poetry - Owen Sheers - Pink Mist (English language Book of the Year)
  • Welsh language:
    • Fiction - Ioan Kidd Dewis (Welsh Language Book of the Year)
    • Non-fiction: Alan Llwyd Bob: Cofiant R. Williams Parry 1884 – 1956
    • Poetry: Christine James Rhwng y Llinellau

New books

English language

• Russell Deacon - The Welsh Liberals: the History of the Liberal and Liberal Democrat Parties in Wales
• Jonathan Edwards - My Family and Other Superheroes (winner of Poetry Award in 2014 Costa Book Awards)
• Griff Rhys Jones - Insufficiently Welsh^[34]
• Lonely Planet

Wales

Welsh language

• Guto Dafydd - Ni Bia'r Awyr
• Jerry Hunter - Ebargofiant^[35]
• Euros Lewis - Agor y Llen ar y Ddrama Gymraeg

Music

Awards

• Cân i Gymru – Mirain Evans, Galw Amdanat Ti^[36]
• Welsh Music Prize – Joanna Gruesome, Weird Sister^[37]

Albums

• Euros Childs - Eilaaig
• Katherine Jenkins - Home Sweet Home
• Manic Street Preachers - Futurology
• Gruff Rhys - American Interior
• Rhydian Roberts - One Day like This

New compositions

• Karl Jenkins – The Healer - A Cantata for St Luke^[38]
• John Metcalf - ^[39]

Film

• Andy Goddard - Set Fire to the Stars
• Lloyd Handley - Third Row Centre (winner of the Best Feature Film award^[40] at the 2014 Madrid International Film Festival.^[41]
• John Bryan Evans - Cysgod Rhyfel
• Pride

Sport

Awards

• BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Geraint Thomas^[42]

In sports

Commonwealth Games

See main article: Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

• 25 July – Athlete Rhys Williams is suspended from competition after failing a drugs test.^[43]
• 3 August – Wales finish the 2014 Commonwealth Games with a record medal total of 36. This count included five gold medals, won by Francesca Jones (gymnastics), Geraint Thomas (cycling), Natalie Powell (judo), Jazz Carlin and Georgia Davies (swimming). During the closing ceremony Francesca Jones was awarded the David Dixon Award as the outstanding athlete of the Games.^[44]

Athletics

• 18 – 24 August, Swansea hosts the fourth IPC Athletics European Championships, held at Swansea University Stadium.

Cycling

• 28 February – At the 2014 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Cardiff's Elinor Barker, along with team members Laura Trott, Katie Archibald and Joanna Rowsell, takes gold in the team pursuit in Cali, Colombia.^[45]
• 29 June – The 2014 British National Road Race Championships held in Abergavenny, is won by Laura Trott (women) and Peter Kennaugh (men).^[46]

Football

• 2 January – Ole Gunnar Solskjær becomes manager of Cardiff City F.C.^[47]
• 4 January – Swansea City FC defeat Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time in their history.^[48]
• 16 April – Gareth Bale scores the winning goal for Real Madrid in the 2014 Copa del Rey Final.^[49]
• 22 April – Ryan Giggs is appointed temporary manager of Manchester United after the sacking of David Moyes.^[50]
• 3 May
  • Cardiff City are relegated from the Premier League after a single season.^[51]
  • The New Saints complete the Welsh double by beating Aberystwyth Town to win the 2013–14 Welsh Cup.^[52]
• 19 May – Ryan Giggs announces his retirement from playing professional football.^[53]

Golf

• 21 September – Joost Luiten of the Netherlands wins the 2014 Wales Open.^[54]

Horse racing

• 27 December – The Welsh Grand National at Chepstow Racecourse is won by Emperor's Choice, trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Aidan Coleman.^[55]

Snooker

• 2 March – Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Ding Junhui to win the 2014 Welsh Open.^[56]

Broadcasting

English-language television

• Hinterland (English-language version of S4C's Y Gwyll)^[57]
• Coming Home (series 9)

Welsh-language television

• 35 Diwrnod
• Dim Byd^[58]
• Fferm Ffactor^[59]
• Cysgod Rhyfel

Deaths

• 5 January – Ray Williams, Wales rugby union international, 86^[60]
• 28 January – Nigel Jenkins, poet, 64^[61]
• 4 February – Keith Bradshaw, Wales rugby union international, 74^[62]
• 8 February – Bernard Hedges, cricketer, 86^[63]
• 5 March – John Uzzell Edwards, painter, 79
• 24 March – Bryan Orritt, footballer, 77^[64]
• 30 March – Fred Stansfield, footballer and manager, 96^[65]
• 6 May – Leslie Thomas, novelist, 83^[66]
• 14 May – Anthony Christopher, politician, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (since 2012), 67 (leukaemia)^[67]
• 20 June – Handel Greville, Wales rugby union international, 92^[68]
• 23 June – Euros Lewis, cricketer, 72^[69]
• 2 July – Errie Ball, Welsh-born American golfer, oldest PGA member, last living player from inaugural Masters Tournament, 103^[70]
• 11 July – Danny Canning, footballer, 88^[71]
• 15 July – Gerallt Lloyd Owen, poet, 70^[72]
• 1 August – Rod de'Ath, musician, 64^[73]
• 9 September – Howell Evans, actor, 86^[74]
• 28 September – Dannie Abse, poet, 91^[75]
• 18 December – Mandy Rice-Davies, model, 70^[76]
• 21 December – Alan Williams, MP for Swansea West (1964–2010), Father of the House (2005–2010), 84^[77]

See also

• 2014 in Northern Ireland

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fire service: 'significant' flooding in Amman Valley . 1 January 2014 . ITV.com.
2. Web site: More than 1,000 swimmers take part in New Year's Day dip . 1 January 2014 . . WalesOnline.
3. Web site: Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd to stand down at election. BBC Wales. 3 February 2014. 21 June 2014.
4. Web site: Artist Gwen John's wartime grave discovered in France. 3 February 2014. 2 February 2014. BBC News.
5. Web site: Life will mean life' for the worst murderers Appeal Court judges rule . 18 February 2014 . Daily Post.
6. Web site: Welsh First Minister visits Washington and New York City. 25 February 2014. gov.uk. 24 March 2022.
7. Web site: £280m Circuit of Wales race track makes cash request . 11 March 2014 . BBC News.
8. Web site: Bil Eiddo a Chynllunio er budd ein Cymunedau – Drafft Ymgynghorol . Property and Planning Bill for the benefit of our Communities – Consultation Draft . 11 March 2014 . Welsh Language Society.
9. Web site: Dafydd Elis-Thomas fired from Plaid Cymru roles . 13 March 2014 . BBC News.
10. Web site: E-cigarettes face curb in public places in Wales . 2 April 2014 . BBC News.
11. Web site: Greetings Ma'am! Queen visits Welsh card factory . 30 April 2014 . ITV.com.
12. Web site: Hundreds line streets for Afghanistan crash pilot funeral . 19 May 2014 . BBC News.
13. Web site: Queens baton relay route in Wales revealed ahead of Glasgow Commonwealth Games. 7 January 2014. WalesOnline . 2 July 2023.
14. Web site: D-Day 70th anniversary marked by Welsh veterans . 6 June 2014. BBC News.
15. Web site: 'Incredibly important' medieval find at Llanllyr, Ceredigion. 7 June 2014. BBC News.
16. Web site: Glyndwr University has right to sponsor foreign students suspended . 24 June 2013 . itv.com.
17. Web site: Dyffryn gardens receives Royal guests . 1 July 2014 . ntjeannette . National Trust Press Office. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205445/http://ntpressoffice.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/dyffryn-gardens-receives-royal-guests/ . 14 July 2014 . dead.
18. Web site: David Jones sacked as Secretary of State for Wales . 14 July 2014 . David . Williamson . Daily Post.
19. News: MP Stephen Crabb wins Wales Office promotion. BBC News. 5 September 2012.
20. Web site: David Cameron launches 'buy local' scheme at Royal Welsh . 21 July 2014 . BBC News.
21. http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/english/2014/ National Eisteddfod of Wales 2014: Key dates
22. Web site: Nato summit to be held in September, PM Cameron tweets. 15 November 2013. BBC News.
23. http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.cfm?section=Health&F=1&id=27799 News Wales
24. Web site: Coldest night of the year in Wales . 29 December 2014 . BBC News.
25. Web site: New Year Honours: Designer Mary Quant among Welsh recipients . 30 December 2014 . BBC News.
26. Web site: MOMA Wales – 2014 Machynlleth Festival . . https://web.archive.org/web/20150223111037/http://www.momawales.org.uk/?page_id=1363 . 23 February 2015 . dead.
27. http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/english/2014/the-weeks-results/ Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru: The Week's Results
28. Web site: Chair Winners. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 20 January 2021.
29. Web site: Crown Winners. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 20 January 2021.
30. Web site: Prose Medal Winners. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 20 January 2021.
31. Web site: Drama Medal Winners. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 20 January 2021.
32. Web site: Daniel Owen Memorial Prize Winners. National Eisteddfod of Wales. 20 January 2021.
33. Web site: Wales Book of the Year 2014. Literature Wales. 13 February 2022.
34. Web site: Forthcoming Titles . . gwales.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20140108134327/http://www.gwales.com/forthcoming/?tsid=3 . 8 January 2014 . dead.
35. Web site: The Top 10 Welsh Language Novels of the 2010s. Nation Cymru. 28 December 2019. Ifan Morgan Jones. 26 June 2020.
36. Web site: The Winners. Cân i Gymru. S4C. 26 May 2015. 26 February 2014. Barry and Mirain Evans – a father and daughter from Chwilog, near Pwllheli – are the winners of Cân i Gymru 2014..
37. Web site: Joanna Gruesome win Welsh Music Prize with debut LP 'Weird Sister' . 26 May 2015. 28 November 2014. Leonie. Coper. NME.
38. Web site: Karl Jenkins on the album that marks his 70th birthday and his 50 years in the music industry. 7 May 2014. WalesOnline. 13 February 2022.
39. Griffin. Carl. Under Milk Wood: John Metcalf talks about his new opera. Wales Arts Review. 17 October 2013. 24.
40. Web site: 2014 Festival Winners. Madrid International Film Festival. 2 August 2014. 23 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141123184835/http://www.madridinternationalfilmfestival.com/2014-winners/. dead.
41. Web site: Adelaide girl produces a winner . South Australian Film Corporation . 24 July 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140904183005/http://www.safilm.com.au/Article/NewsDetail.aspx?p=16&id=2823 . 4 September 2014 .
42. Web site: Geraint Thomas wins BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality 2014 . 8 December 2014 . . 26 December 2015.
43. Web site: Glasgow 2014: Rhys Williams fails drugs test . 25 July 2014 . BBC Sport.
44. Web site: Glasgow 2014: Geraint Thomas gold 'perfect ending' – Davies . 3 August 2014. 3 August 2014. BBC Sport.
45. Web site: Track Cycling Worlds 2014: GB women win team pursuit gold . 28 February 2014. 1 March 2014. BBC Sport.
46. Web site: Laura Trott and Peter Kennaugh win British road race titles . 29 June 2014. 2 July 2014. BBC Sport.
47. News: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaces Malky Mackay as Cardiff City manager . ITV . 2 January 2014 . 2 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102203640/http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-01-02/ole-gunnar-solskjaer-replaces-malky-mackay-as-cardiff-city-manager/ . 2 January 2014.
48. Web site: Man United win more 'special' for Swansea fans - Michael Laudrup . 5 January 2014 . BBC Sport.
49. Web site: Gareth Bale helps Real Madrid beat Barcelona in Copa del Rey. BBC Sport. 16 April 2014. 24 May 2014. Jonathan. Jurejko.
50. Web site: David Moyes: Manchester United manager sacked by club. BBC Sport. 22 April 2014. 24 May 2014.
51. Web site: Newcastle 3 – 0 Cardiff . BBC Sport. 3 May 2014. 24 May 2014. Chris. Bevan.
52. Web site: Welsh Cup Final: Aberystwyth 2-3 The New Saints. BBC Sport. 3 May 2014. 24 May 2014.
53. Web site: Ryan Giggs: Manchester United winger ends glittering career . 19 May 2014 . BBC Sport.
54. Web site: Wales Open: Joost Luiten wins ahead of Lowry and Fleetwood . BBC Sport. 31 May 2015. 21 September 2014.
55. Web site: Welsh National 2014: Emperor's Choice wins at Chepstow. BBC Sport. 30 December 2014.
56. Web site: Hafez. Shamoon. Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Ding Junhui in Welsh Open final. BBC Sport. 24 May 2014. 2 March 2014.
57. Web site: 'Pioneering' Welsh drama Hinterland hits screens in English . 4 January 2014 . BBC News.
58. Web site: Dim Byd – Start the New Year with a barrel of laughs . 2014 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20131231001155/http://www.s4c.co.uk/adloniant/e_dim_byd.shtml . 31 December 2013 . dead.
59. Book: Gareth Wyn Jones. Hill Farmer. 22 December 2014. Y Lolfa. 978-1-78461-082-1.
60. News: Llanelli's rugby fraternity's tribute to late great Ray Williams . . Robert . Dalling . 8 January 2014 . 14 January 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140114153129/http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Llanelli-s-rugby-fraternity-pay-tribute-late/story-20413393-detail/story.html . dead.
61. Web site: Swansea poet and author Nigel Jenkins dies aged 64 . Bbc.co.uk . 1970-01-01 . 2014-01-29.
62. Web site: Former Wales rugby international Keith Bradshaw dies, aged 74 . bbc.co.uk. 3 February 2014. 2 February 2014.
63. Web site: Bernard Hedges – A Tribute . 8 February 2014 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185617/https://www.glamorgancricket.com/news/3438.php . 21 February 2014 . dead.
64. Web site: Boro Pay Tribute To Bryan . . 25 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140325163012/https://www.mfc.co.uk/page/news/latest/0,,1~3731169,00.html . dead.
65. http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/11117716.Former_County_player_and_boss_Fred_Stansfield_dies/?ref=var_0 Fred Standfield dies
66. Web site: BBC News - Virgin Soldiers author Leslie Thomas dies aged 83 . BBC News . 7 May 2014 . 7 May 2014.
67. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-27420567 RCT council leader Anthony Christopher dies after illness
68. Web site: Scarlets pay tribute to former captain Handel Greville. 22 June 2014. 14 July 2014. . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205446/https://www.scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/6838.php . dead.
69. Web site: Glamorgan pay tribute to former all-rounder Euros Lewis. 24 June 2014. 3 July 2014. walesonline.co.uk.
70. Web site: Errie Ball, who played in first Masters, dies at 103. 3 July 2014. 3 July 2014. Bob . Denney.
71. Web site: Former Swansea City goalkeeper dies . 11 July 2014 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714183512/http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Swans-goalkeeper-dies/story-21450003-detail/story.html . 14 July 2014 . dead.
72. Web site: Gerallt Lloyd Owen wedi marw . Gerallt Lloyd Owen has died . 15 July 2014 . BBC Cymru Fyw.
73. Web site: Rod De'ath, Drummer for Rory Gallagher, dies at 64 . Dave . Lifton . 2 August 2014 . ultimateclassicrock.com.
74. Web site: Tributes paid to actor Howell Evans who played Daddy in Ruth Jones' Sky 1 show Stella . Cathy . Owen . 10 September 2014 . . WalesOnline.
75. Web site: Dannie Abse - obituary . 28 September 2014 . The Telegraph.
76. Web site: Profumo affair's Mandy Rice-Davies dies aged 70 . Danny . Boyle . 19 December 2014 . The Telegraph.
77. Web site: Ex-Swansea MP Alan Williams dies . 22 December 2014 . BBC News.