1998 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1998 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

Events

24 February – The Criminal Cases Review Commission overturns the murder charge of Mahmood Hussein Mattan, who was executed in 1952 for killing a Cardiff shopkeeper.
February – Britain's first official register of historic landscapes is published by Cadw. It lists 36 landscapes in Wales of outstanding historic interest.
6 March – Flintshire Bridge is officially opened.
8–9 April – Torrential rain over eastern Wales results in widespread flooding.
13 April – Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Öpik is seriously injured in a paragliding accident in his constituency.
May – Cistercian Way long-distance trail originates.
June – The Arts Council of Wales publishes its consultation paper Building A Creative Society.
31 July – The Government of Wales Act 1998, that will establish a devolved Welsh Assembly, receives its Royal Assent.
August – Ron Davies is appointed to the highest order of the Gorsedd of the Bards at the 1998 National Eisteddfod in Bridgend.
19 September – Ron Davies is elected in preference to Rhodri Morgan as Labour's candidate for First Secretary of the Assembly.
22–31 October – 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.
27 October – Ron Davies resigns as Secretary of State for Wales after being mugged in an incident on Clapham Common, following what he described as an "error of judgment".
18 November – Jon Owen Jones, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, announces that the Environment Agency has been asked for a report on the October floods.
November – Maenofferen slate quarry at Blaenau Ffestiniog ceases production.

Arts and literature

Bryn Terfel gives a recital at Carnegie Hall.

Awards

Glyndŵr Award – Iwan Bala
National Eisteddfod of Wales
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – withheld
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Emyr Lewis, "Rhyddid"
National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Eurig Wyn, Blodyn Tatws
Wales Book of the Year:
*English language: Mike Jenkins – Wanting to Belong
*Welsh language: Iwan Llwyd – Dan Ddylanwad
Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Geraint V. Jones, ''Semtecs''

New books

English language

Gillian Clarke – Five Fields
James Hawes – Rancid Aluminium
Rhys Hughes – Rawhead & Bloody Bones
Mario Risoli – When Pele Broke our Hearts: Wales and the 1958 World Cup
Sarah Waters – ''Tipping the Velvet''

Welsh language

Dafydd Huws – Dyddiadur Dyn Dŵad
Huw Ethall – ''Pennar Davies: Y Dyn a'i Waith''

Film

Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones star in The Mask of Zorro.

Welsh language films

Bride of War, starring Huw Garmon.

Music

Indie music band Terris are formed in Newport.
Anweledig – Sombreros yn y Glaw
Charlotte Church – Voice of an Angel
Melys – Rumours and Curses
Bonnie Tyler – ''All in One Voice''

Broadcasting

Welsh-language television

November – A new digital channel is launched, broadcasting in Welsh for twelve hours a day.

Sport

BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Iwan Thomas
Commonwealth Games – September
*Kelly Morgan wins the badminton women's singles;
*Iwan Thomas wins the men's 400 metres;
*Desmond Davies wins the men's individual skeet shooting;
*Wales win a total of 15 medals, including the three golds.
Snooker
*8 February – Mark Williams wins his first Masters title.

Births

12 March – Will Jones, rugby player
5 June – Dafydd Jones, footballer
18 December – Cameron Coxe, footballer
25 December – Will Griffiths, rugby player
29 December – Mark Harris, footballer

Deaths

3 January – Tony Duncan, golfer and cricketer, 83
18 February – Robbie James, footballer, 40
1 April – Mary Wynne Warner, mathematician, 65
2 April – Dai Davies, trade unionist, 88
4 April – Käte Bosse-Griffiths, author, 87
14 April – Dorothy Squires, singer, 83
11 May – Vronwy Hankey, archaeologist, 81
13 May – Arthur Rees, Wales international rugby player and police Chief Constable, 85
17 May – Hugh Cudlipp, journalist, 84
5 July – James Eirian Davies, minister and poet, 80
23 July – R. Tudur Jones, theologian and politician, 77
28 July – Nancy Evans, table tennis player, 95
3 August – Ronnie Boon, Wales rugby union player, 89
12 September – Horace Charles Jones, poet, 92
5 October – Megs Jenkins, actress, 81
31 October – Eddie Perry, footballer, 89
16 December – Kenyon Jones, rugby player, 87
16 December – Tommy Davies, boxer, 78
31 December – Alan Morris, footballer, 44