1976 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1976 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Secretary of State for Wales – John Morris
- Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Bryn
Events
- 9 February - The Prince of Wales becomes commander of.
- 17 February - Operation Julie is launched; it eventually results in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.
- March - The Welsh Regional Office of the European Community opens in Cardiff.
- June–September - 1976 United Kingdom heat wave: A very hot summer brings a major drought with water shortages.
- July - Miners’ leader Dai Francis challenges the Prince of Wales, in the election for Chancellor of the University of Wales.
- 25 July - Former Submarine Commander Neil Rutherford, DSC & Bar, murders four people at the Red Gables Hotel in Penmaenmawr.
- 4 October - The InterCity 125 high speed train runs for the first time between Swansea railway station and London Paddington.
- 7 December - Swansea-born former fashion model Lilian Davies marries Prince Bertil of Sweden at Drottningholm Palace after a 30-year relationship.
- date unknown - David Emanuel marries Elizabeth Weiner.
Arts and literature
- May 27 - Actor Stanley Baker is given a knighthood in the Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, a few months before his death.
- August - Dic Jones loses the National Eisteddfod chair on a technicality.
- October - Mistar Urdd is created by Wynne Melville Jones.
- unknown date - Griff Rhys Jones becomes Vice-President of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Alan Llwyd
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Alan Llwyd
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Marged Prichard
New books
English language
- Ruth Bidgood - Not Without Homage
- Glyn Davies - Overseas Investment In Wales
- Kenneth O. Morgan - Keir Hardie
- Bernice Rubens - ''I Sent a Letter to My Love''
Welsh language
- John Emyr - Enaid Clwyfus
- Alun Llywelyn-Williams - Gwanwyn yn y Ddinas
- Owain Owain - ''Y Dydd Olaf''
Poetry
- J. M. Edwards - Cerddi Ddoe a Heddiw - Egin
- Donald Evans
- Geraint Jarman - Cerddi Alfred Street
- Gwilym R. Jones - ''Y Syrcas a Cherddi Eraill''
New drama
- John Gwilym Jones - ''Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif''
Music
- Edward H. Dafis - 'Sneb yn Becso Dam
- Alun Hoddinott - Murder the Magician
- Dafydd Iwan - Mae'r Darnau yn Disgyn i'w Lle
- Geraint Jarman - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif
- Daniel Jones - Dance Fantasy
- Man - The Welsh Connection
- Bonnie Tyler - "Lost in France"
Film
Welsh-language films
- Y Dieithryn, produced by Emlyn Williams
Broadcasting
- Sir Huw Wheldon is knighted for his services to broadcasting.
Welsh-language television
- Seren Wib, presented by Emyr Glasnant and Sharon Morgan
- Tybed? with Marged Esli
- ''Mae Gen i Stori''
Welsh language radio
- ''Tros Fy Sbectol''
English-language television
- How Green Was My Father: a Welsh Odyssey for 1976, with Ryan Davies and Max Boyce
Sport
- Football – The Wales national football team plays in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1976.
- BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Mervyn Davies and the Wales national rugby union team.
- Rugby union – Wales win their seventh Grand Slam.
- Snooker
- *30 January – Ray Reardon wins the Masters.
- *23 April – Ray Reardon wins his fifth World Championship title.
Births
- 14 January - Scott Young, footballer
- 6 April - James Fox, singer
- 8 May - Ian Watkins, pop singer
- 13 May - Mark Delaney, footballer
- 16 June - Cian Ciaran, musician
- 25 June - Iestyn Harris, rugby player
- 14 July - Geraint Jones, cricketer
- 9 August - Aled Haydn-Jones, radio producer
- 1 November - Buffy Williams, politician
- 7 November - Andrew Davies, cricketer
- 20 December – Adam Powell, inventor
- date unknown - Steffan Cravos, musician and language activist
Deaths
- 3 January – Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger, 40
- 23 January – Sir Tudor Thomas, ophthalmic surgeon, 82
- 26 January – Eric Francis, architect, 88
- 4 February – Roger Livesey, actor, 69
- 12 February – John Lewis, Marxist philosopher, 87
- 14 February - Tommy Scourfield, dual code rugby player, 66
- 29 March - Harold Davies, rugby player, 77
- 26 March - Duster Bennett, blues musician, 29
- 30 March - Jackie Mittell, footballer, 70
- 31 March - Billy Moore, rugby player, 66
- 18 April – Haydn Davies, politician, 70
- 28 April – Richard Hughes, novelist, 76
- 6 June – David Jacobs, athlete, 88
- 20 June – Sir Goronwy Edwards, historian, 84
- 28 June – Sir Stanley Baker, actor, 48
- 18 July – Jenkin Alban Davies, Wales international rugby captain, 90
- 22 July – Willie Evans, Welsh international footballer, 63
- 30 August - David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, politician, 72
- 10 October - David Lewis, 1st Baron Brecon, politician, 71
- 7 November - Glyn Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 49
- 22 November - Rupert Davies, actor, 60
- 24 November - Ambrose Baker, rugby player, ?79
- date unknown
- *Eveline Annie Jenkins, botanical artist, 82/83
- *Meirion Williams, songwriter