1998 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1998 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
- vacant - Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
- Ron Davies (until 27 October)
- Alun MichaelAlun MichaelAlun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...
- Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished...
- Alwyn Rice JonesAlwyn Rice JonesAlwyn Rice Jones was Bishop of St Asaph from 1982 to 1999 and also Archbishop of Wales, the Welsh province of the Anglican Communion, from 1991 to 1999...
Events
- February 24 - The Criminal Cases Review CommissionCriminal Cases Review CommissionThe Criminal Cases Review Commission is an non-departmental public body set up following the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice itself a continuation of the May Inquiry. It aims to investigate possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
overturns the murder charge of Mahmood Hussein MattanMahmood Hussein MattanMahmood Hussein Mattan was a Somali former merchant seaman who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Lily Volpert on 6 March 1952. The murder took place in the Docklands area of Cardiff, Wales and Mattan was mainly convicted on the evidence of a single prosecution witness...
, who was executed in 1952 for killing a Cardiff shopkeeper. - February - Britain's first official register of historic landscapes is published by CadwCadw-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
. It lists 36 landscapes in Wales of outstanding historic interest. - March 6 - Flintshire BridgeFlintshire BridgeThe Flintshire Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Dee Estuary in North Wales. The bridge links Flint and Connah's Quay to the north shore of the River Dee. The bridge cost £55million to construct...
is officially opened. - April 8-9 - Torrential rain over eastern Wales results in widespread flooding.
- April 13 - Montgomeryshire MP Lembit ÖpikLembit ÖpikLembit Öpik is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Montgomeryshire in Wales from 1997 until he lost his seat in the 2010 General Election...
is seriously injured in a paragliding accident in his constituency. - June - The Arts Council of WalesArts Council of WalesThe Arts Council of Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales.Established by Royal Charter in 1946, as the Welsh Arts Council , when it merged with the three Welsh regional arts associations...
publishes its consultation paper Building A Creative Society. - The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reports that Welsh Secretary Ron Davies wants to drop the Welsh national flag. Davies is appointed to the highest order of the Gorsedd of the Bards at the 1998 National Eisteddfod in BridgendBridgendBridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town... - July 31 - The Government of Wales Act 1998Government of Wales Act 1998This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998 This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998...
, that will establish a devolved Welsh Assembly, receives its Royal Assent. - September 19 - Ron Davies is elected in preference to Rhodri MorganRhodri MorganHywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
as Labour's candidate for First Secretary of the Assembly. - October 22-31 - Heavy rainfall across Wales results in river levels rising to warning levels. Flood plains are inundated and there is extensive flooding of houses and other property.
- October 27 - Ron Davies resigns as Secretary of State for Wales after being mugged in an incident on Clapham CommonClapham CommonClapham Common is an 89 hectare triangular area of grassland situated in south London, England. It was historically common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, but was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878.43 hectares of the common are within the...
, following what he described as an "error of judgment". - November 18 - Jon Owen JonesJon Owen JonesJon Owen Jones is a Welsh politician. He was Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central from 1992 to 2005.-Early life:...
, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, announces that the Environment AgencyEnvironment AgencyThe Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
has been asked for a report on the October floods.
Awards
- Glyndŵr AwardGlyndwr AwardThe Glyndŵr Award is made for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales. It is given by the Machynlleth Tabernacle Trust to pre-eminent figures in music, art and literature in rotation...
- Iwan Bala - National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in BridgendBridgendBridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
) - National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair -
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown -
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Eurig WynEurig WynEurig Wyn is a Welsh politician. He was a Plaid Cymru Member of the European Parliament for Wales from 1999 to 2004, when he lost his seat in part due to a reduction of the number of seats that Wales had....
, Blodyn Tatws - Wales Book of the YearWales Book of the YearThe Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors...
:- English language:
- WelshWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
language:
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Geraint V. Jones, Semtecs
New books
- Gillian ClarkeGillian ClarkeGillian Clarke is a Welsh poet, playwright, editor, broadcaster, lecturer and translator from Welsh.-Life:Clarke was born in Cardiff and brought up in Cardiff and Penarth, though for part of the Second World War she was in Pembrokeshire...
- Five Fields - James HawesJames HawesJames Hawes is a British television director, who has worked in British television drama since the late 1990s, and also produced documentaries for British and American networks....
- Rancid AluminiumRancid AluminiumRancid Aluminium is a novel by James Hawes, first published in 1998. It is also the name of a 2000 film, based on the novel, that was released on 21 January 2000.-Cast:*Rhys Ifans*Joseph Fiennes*Tara FitzGerald*Sadie Frost*Steven Berkoff... - Rhys HughesRhys HughesRhys Henry Hughes , is a Welsh writer and essayist.Born in Cardiff, Hughes is a prolific short story writer with an eclectic mix of influences, which include Italo Calvino, Milorad Pavić, Jorge Luis Borges, Stanisław Lem, Flann O'Brien, Felipe Alfau, Donald Barthelme and Jack Vance...
- Rawhead & Bloody Bones - Mario Risoli - When Pele Broke our Hearts: Wales and the 1958 World Cup
Welsh language films
- Bride of War, starring Huw GarmonHuw GarmonHuw Garmon is a Welsh actor, probably best known for playing the eponymous lead in the Oscar-nominated Welsh language film, Hedd Wyn ....
(in WelshWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, English, French, German and Polish).
Music
- AnweledigAnweledigAnweledig are a band from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales; their style is a mixture of funk, reggae, ska and rock. The band consists of Ceri Cunnington , Gai Toms , Iwan 'Oz' Jones , Rhys Roberts , Alwyn Evans , Joe Buckley , Edwin Humphries , Barri Gwilliam , and Arwel Davies .The band became popular in...
- Sombreros yn y Glaw - Charlotte ChurchCharlotte ChurchCharlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
- Voice of an AngelVoice of an AngelVoice of an Angel is the title of the debut music recording/album featuring the voice of 12-year-old soprano Charlotte Church, released in 1998.-Track listing:#"Pie Jesu" #"Panis Angelicus" #"In Trutina"... - MelysMelysMelys are a Welsh independent rock band from Betws-y-Coed in Conwy, Wales, formed in 1996. They sing in both English and Welsh...
- Rumours and Curses - Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
- All in One Voice
Sport
- September - At the 1998 Commonwealth Games1998 Commonwealth GamesThe 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
:- Kelly MorganKelly MorganKelly Morgan is a Welsh Commonwealth and Olympic Games badminton player born in Pontypridd.Morgan attended Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive school in Beddau, Wales.- 1996 Olympics :...
wins the badmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
women's singles; - Iwan ThomasIwan ThomasIwan Gwyn Thomas MBE is a sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 m, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is the current UK record holder at 400 m with a time of 44.36 seconds and is a former European and Commonwealth games champion...
wins the men's 400 metres; - Desmond Davies wins the men's individual skeetSkeetSkeet may refer to:* Clay pigeon shooting, a target sport** Skeet shooting, a discipline of the sport*** Olympic skeet, a variant of the discipline*** Skeet Shoot, a skeet shooting video game for the Atari 2600 produced by Apollo...
shooting; - Wales win a total of 15 medals, including the three golds.
- Kelly Morgan
Deaths
- 2 April - Dai DaviesDai Davies (trade unionist)David H. Davies , known as Dai Davies, was a British trade unionist and Labour Party official.Born in Beaufort, Ebbw Vale, Davies worked in Ebbw Vale and joined the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation. He was appointed as assistant general secretary in 1953, then general secretary in 1967, serving...
, trade unionist - 4 April - Käte Bosse-GriffithsKäte Bosse-GriffithsKäte Bosse-Griffiths was a German born Egyptologist who after moving to Wales became a writer in the Welsh language.-Early history:...
, author, 87 - 14 April - Dorothy SquiresDorothy SquiresDorothy Squires was a Welsh vocalist. Among her recordings were versions of "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening", "I'm in the Mood for Love", "Anytime", "If You Love Me " and "And So to Sleep Again".-Biography:...
, singer, 83 - 11 May - Vronwy HankeyVronwy HankeyVronwy Hankey was an archaeologist, a specialist in Near Eastern, Minoan, and Mycenaean archaeology...
, archaeologist, 81 - 13 May - Arthur ReesArthur ReesArthur Morgan Rees CBE, QPM, DL was a Welsh international rugby union flanker, the Chief Constable of both Denbighshire and Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent, a sports' administrator and World War II fighter pilot.-Personal history:...
, Wales international rugby player and police Chief Constable, 85 - 17 May - Hugh Kinsman Cudlipp, journalist
- 23 July - R. Tudur JonesR. Tudur JonesR. Tudur Jones was a Welsh Nationalist and a Protestant Christian. He was the most important Christian scholar in Wales during the 20th century and is hailed as the giant of Protestantism in Wales during a century that saw Wales, as a whole, turn against its traditional Reformed Protestant...
, theologian and politician, 77 - 3 August - Ronnie BoonRonnie BoonRonald Winston "Ronnie" Boon was an international rugby union wing for Wales who played club rugby for Cardiff. Boon possessed a tremendous self-confidence in his own ability and this was reflected in his nickname Cocky. Boon was a quick runner, representing Wales at the 220 yard sprint, and was...
, Wales rugby union player, 89 - 12 September - Horace Charles Jones, poet, 92
- 5 October - Megs JenkinsMegs JenkinsMuguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
, actress, 81 - 16 December - Kenyon Jones, rugby player, 87
- 31 December - Alan MorrisAlan Morris (footballer)Alan Morris was an English footballer. He made an appearance in The Football League for Chester and also played at Wembley Stadium for Bangor City. He played as either a midfielder or striker.-Playing career:...
, footballer, 44