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 ; 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 officially opens over 5 km 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 ''

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 [County Cricket Club|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 – 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