This article is about the particular significance of the year 1998 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Secretary of State for Wales Ron Davies (until 27 October) Alun Michael Archbishop of Wales – Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dafydd Rowlands
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 (held in Bridgend) 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 (in Welsh, English, French, German and Polish).
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.
English-language television Barry Welsh Is Coming wins the BAFTA Wales Light Entertainment award.
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 (collapsed and died during match) 1 April – Mary Wynne Warner, mathematician, 65I. M. James and A. R. Pears, "Obituary: Mary Wynne Warner (1932–1998)" Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society 34(6)(December 2001): 745–752. DOI: 10.1112/S0024609302001467 2 April – Dai Davies, trade unionist, 88 4 April – Käte Bosse-Griffiths, author, 87 14 April – Dorothy Squires, singer, 83 11 May – Vronwy Hankey (née Fisher), 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 (in Waipukurau, New Zealand) – 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
See also 1998 in Northern Ireland
References