1997 in Wales

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.
• 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 <small>(in Paris)</small> – 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

See also

• 1997 in Northern Ireland

References