This article is about the particular significance of the year 1995 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Secretary of State for Wales – John Redwood (until 26 June); David Hunt (Acting); William Hague (from 5 July) Archbishop of Wales – Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – John Gwilym Jones
Events 3 January – Tower Colliery re-opens under the ownership of the workforce buyout company Goitre Tower Anthracite.Times online 1 February – Richey Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers disappears. 16 February – In the Islwyn by-election brought about by the resignation of Neil Kinnock, Don Touhig is elected as Labour MP for the constituency. April – TBI plc purchases Cardiff-Wales Airport from Glamorgan County Council. 20 July – Swansea-born Michael Heseltine becomes Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, an office last held by Geoffrey Howe. 30 July – Police in North Wales launch a murder inquiry after the body of seven-year-old Sophie Hook (who had gone missing from a nearby house during the night) is found on a beach near Llandudno by a man walking his dog. 6 August – Howard Hughes, a 30-year-old Colwyn Bay man, is charged with the murder of Sophie Hook. November – Diver Keith Hurley discovers the wreck of the submarine Resurgam (sunk 1880) off Rhyl. 20 November – The Princess of Wales gives a revealing interview to Martin Bashir for the Panorama current affairs television programme on BBC 1, discussing her personal problems and marriage in candid detail. 20 December – The Queen writes to The Prince and Princess of Wales urging them to divorce as soon as possible. Welsh historian Sir Rees Davies is appointed to the Chichele Chair of Medieval History in the University of Oxford. Welsh historian Glanmor Williams is knighted.
Arts and literature Roger Rees is nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Play for his role in Indiscretions. Michael Ball performs in the Les Misérables tenth anniversary concert. Peter Karrie is voted the favourite Phantom of members of The Phantom of the Opera Appreciation Society for the second year in a row. The Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, is opened by Jimmy Carter.
Awards Glyndŵr Award – Kyffin Williams National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Abergele) National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Tudur Dylan JonesBBC – Eisteddfod Chair Winners. Accessed 26 August 2013 National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Aled GwynBBC – Eisteddfod Crown Winners. Accessed 26 August 2013 National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Angharad Jones for Y Dylluan Wen Wales Book of the Year: English language: Duncan Bush, Masks Welsh language: Aled Islwyn, Unigolion, Unigeddau Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Beryl Stafford Williams
New books Roger Boore – Y Bachgen Gwyllt Robin Llywelyn – Y Dwr Mawr Llwyd R. S. Thomas – No Truce with the Furies Aled Rhys Wiliam – Cywain
Film
English-language films The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, with Kenneth Griffith Restoration is partly filmed at Caerphilly Castle.
Welsh-language films Branwen
Music Robin Huw Bowen – Harp Music of Wales (Cerddoriaeth Telyn Cymru) Carreg Lafar – Ysbryd y Werin Dafydd Iwan – Cân Celt Super Furry Animals – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllantysiliogogogochynygofod (in space) (E.P.) Triskedekaphilia (compilation album)
Broadcasting 30 September – 96.4 FM The Wave goes on air for the first time.
Welsh-language television A55, starring Iwan "Iwcs" Roberts Rownd a Rownd, a youth-oriented soap opera set and filmed around Menai Bridge, launches on S4C
English-language television John Rhys-Davies takes the lead in the new US drama series, Sliders. Somebody's Son (prizewinning documentary made for BBC2 and BBC Wales by Raw Charm).
Sport
BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Neville Southall Rugby Union 4 June – A narrow defeat by Ireland results in Wales being eliminated from the Rugby World Cup competition after only three matches.
Births 5 January – Tom John, footballer 13 February – Leona Vaughan, actress 13 June – Anna Morris, cyclist 30 June – Declan John, footballer 4 July – Amy Hill, cyclist 9 October – Jasmine Joyce-Butchers, rugby player 12 October – Jordan Howe, Paralympic athlete 30 November – Seb Morris, racing driver
Deaths 28 January – Philip Burton, theatre director and radio producer, 90 2 February - Raymond Bark-Jones, English-born Wales international rugby union player, 83 4 February - David Alexander, singer, 56 8 February – Don Devereux, dual-code rugby player, 62 8 February – Rachel Thomas, actress, 89 11 March – Myfanwy Talog, actress, 50 28 March - Julian Cayo-Evans, political activist, 57 10 April – Glyn Jones, poet, author and academic, 90 12 April – Cyril Sidlow, footballer, 89 21 April – Tessie O'Shea, entertainer, 82 21 June – Tristan Jones, sailor, 66 24 June – Len Blyth, Wales international rugby player, 74 25 September – Dave Bowen, footballer, 67 26 September – Lynette Roberts, poet, 86 5 December – Charles Evans, doctor and mountaineer, 77Robert Charles Evans 1918–1995, obituary by Michael Ward, Geographical Journal, Vol. 162, No. 2 (Jul., 1996), pp. 257–58
See also 1995 in Northern Ireland
References