2008 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 2008 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
*Princess of Wales - Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (does not use title)
*First Minister - Rhodri Morgan
*Deputy First Minister of Wales - Ieuan Wyn Jones
*Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales - Dafydd Elis-Thomas
*Secretary of State for Wales
**Peter Hain (to January 24)
**Paul Murphy
*Archbishop of Wales - Barry Morgan (Bishop of Llandaff)

Events

*24 January - Peter Hain resigns from his government offices (including Secretary of State for Wales) after the Electoral Commission refers to the Metropolitan Police his failure to report donations amounting to £100,000.
*18 February - Plans to publish Wales's first daily newspaper in the Welsh language, under the title "Y Byd (The World)", are abandoned because of inadequate finance.
*1 March - St David's Day Cardiff sees record breaking numbers march in the annual St David's Day parade. The parade left the National Museum of Wales for Y Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
*7 March - Queen Elizabeth II visits Swansea to open its new leisure centre, a replacement for the building she opened in 1977.
*16 April - Swansea's new bowls stadium hosts the World Indoor Singles and Mixed Pairs Championship for bowls.
*16 April - First minister Rhodri Morgan officially opens Amazon.co.uk's 400,000 sq ft Fulfilment Centre in Jersey Marine.
*1 May - All Wales local council elections.
*31 May - Swansea Bay Film Festival begins.
*14 June - In the Queen's Birthday honours list, Russell T Davies is awarded the OBE and Joe Calzaghe the CBE.
*2 August - The National Eisteddfod of Wales opens in Cardiff.

Arts and literature

Awards

*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Hilma Lloyd Edwards
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Hywel Griffiths
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal -
*National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Mererid Hopwood
*Wales Book of the Year:
**English language:
**Welsh language:
*Dylan Thomas Award:

New books

*"Iolo Morganwg and the Romantic Tradition in Wales: The Correspondence of Iolo Morganwg", Vols 1, 2 & 3 (ed. Geraint H. Jenkins, Ffion Mair Jones & David Ceri Jones)
*Rhys Evans - "Gwynfor Evans: a Portrait of a a Patriot"
*Ian Skidmore - "Kyffin: a Figure in a Welsh Landscape"
*Dai Smith - "Raymond Williams: a Warrior's Tale"
*"The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales"

Music

Classical

*Karl Jenkins - "Stabat Mater"

Albums

*Kids in Glass Houses - "Smart Casual"

ingles

*Feeder - "Miss You (Feeder song)"

Film

*Jonathan Pryce appears in "Leatherheads".
*Michael Sheen plays David Frost in "Frost/Nixon"
*Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in "Death Defying Acts"

Broadcasting

*

Welsh language TV

*"Natur Cymru" (with Iolo Williams)
*"Noson Chis a Meinir"

English language TV

*"Teen Tribes" (with Rhod Gilbert) (BBC2)

port

*Football
**9 March - Cardiff City F.C. defeat Middlesbrough F.C. to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1927.
**6 April - Cardiff City F.C. defeat Barnsley F.C. to reach the final of the FA Cup for the first time since 1927.
**17 May - Cardiff City F.C. are defeated by Portsmouth F.C. in the final of the FA Cup
**16 August - Opening round of the Welsh Cup 2008-09
*Rugby union
**2 February - Wales defeat World Cup finalists England in their first match of the 2008 Six Nations Championship.
**8 March - Wales defeat Ireland to clinch the Triple Crown.
**15 March - Wales defeat France to win the Grand Slam for the second time in five years.
**12 April - Ospreys defeat Leicester Tigers and lift the EDF Energy Cup trophy.
*2008 Summer Olympics
**August 10 - Cyclist Nicole Cooke wins the gold medal in the Women's road race.
**August 16 - In rowing, Tom James wins a gold medal as one of the British team's victorious coxless four.
**August 21 - David Davies of Barry wins the silver medal in the Men's marathon 10 kilometre swim.

Births

*

Deaths

*1 January - Aled Rhys Wiliam, writer, 81
*4 February - Peter Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir, politician, 87
*12 March - Alun Hoddinott, composer, 78
*18 March - Philip Jones Griffiths, photojournalist, 72
*24 March - Neil Aspinall, Beatles' friend and assistant, 65
*17 April - Gwyneth Dunwoody, politician, 77
*25 April - Humphrey Lyttelton, jazz musician and former Port Talbot steelworker, 86
*1 May - Mark Kendall, footballer, 49
*12 June - Derek Tapscott, footballer, 75
*14 July - George Noakes, former Archbishop of Wales, 83
*19 August - Bob Humphrys, TV sports presenter, 56
*20 August - Leo Abse, politician, 91
*10 September - Vernon Handley, conductor, 77