1999 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1999 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
• Princess of Wales - vacant
• First Minister - Alun Michael
• Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales - Dafydd Elis-Thomas
• Secretary of State for Wales - Paul Murphy
• Archbishop of Wales - Rowan Williams

Events

• January
  • Protesting farmers blockade the north Wales HQ of supermarket chain Iceland.
  • Opening of the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay, Wales's first 5-star hotel.
• February - Outbreak of meningitis in the Pontypridd area.
• March - West Wales and the Valleys is designated an Objective 1 region within the European Community.
• May 6 - First elections to the National Assembly for Wales.
• May 10 - The Queen attends a gala concert in Cardiff Bay to celebrate the opening of the Welsh Assembly.
• June
  • The Clydach murders: four members of the same family are found bludgeoned to death.
  • Eight children in north Wales are taken ill with E-coli poisoning.
• July - Bryncelyn Brewery begins brewing.
• December - Hyder cuts 1000 jobs after being forced to make cuts in their charges for electricity and water.
• December 19 - Charlotte Church makes her debut as a television actress in Heartbeat.

Arts and literature

• Cysgod y Cryman by Islwyn Ffowc Elis is voted the most significant Welsh language book of the 20th century.
• Sir Harry Secombe suffers a second stroke, which forces him to give up his television career.
• Mary Hopkin joins The Chieftains on their UK tour.
• Dick Francis: A Racing Life, an unauthorised biography, suggests that his books were written by his wife Mary.
• Kyffin Williams is knighted for his services to the arts.
• Swansea Grand Theatre becomes the base for the Ballet Russe company.

Awards

• Cardiff Singer of the World - Anja Harteros

• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair -
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown -
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal -
• Wales Book of the Year:
  • English language:
  • Welsh language:

• Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen -

New books

• Greg Cullen - Paul Robeson Knew My Father (play)
• Grahame Davies - Sefyll yn y Bwlch
• Craig Thomas - Slipping into Shadow

Music

• Gillian Elisa - Haul ar Nos Hir (album)
• Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Spanish Dance Troupe (album)
• Karl Jenkins - The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace

Film

• Catherine Zeta-Jones co-stars in Entrapment.

Welsh-language films

• Cymer Dy Siâr
• Porc Pei (Pork Pie)
• Solomon a Gaenor, starring Ioan Gruffudd

Broadcasting

• May - Huw Edwards begins presenting the BBC Six O'Clock News.

Welsh-language television

• Y Palmant Aur (drama)
• Yno o hyd (documentary)
• Tri Tenor - Gala concert with performances by Welsh tenors Gwyn Hughes Jones, Rhys Meirion and Timothy Richards
• Catrin Finch (documentary)
• Ponteifi (sitcom)

English-language television

• Sea of Troubles (documentary)
• House of the Future (documentary by Malcolm Parry)
• Barry Welsh is Coming (winner of the BAFTA Wales Award for Light Entertainment)
• Belonging (BBC Wales)
• The Big Picture (presented by Peter Lord)

Sport

• The Rugby Union World Cup is hosted by Wales, with the final being held at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 6 November. Australia are the winning team.
• UWIC Inter Cardiff are Welsh Cup winners after beating Carmarthen Town on penalties.
• Barry Town win their fourth successive League of Wales title.
• Winners of the three division's in the Welsh Football League are: Ton Pentre (Division 1), Penrhiwceiber Rangers (Division 2) & Caerleon (Division 3).
• Flexsys Cefn Druids are champions of the Cymru Alliance.
• AFC Llwydcoed and Garden Village are promoted to the Welsh Football League.

Births

• 29 June - Conor Cassidy

Deaths

• February - Alfred Janes, artist
• 8 February - Meredith Edwards, actor
• 6 May - Johnny Morris, television presenter
• 5 September - Ivor Roberts, former TWW presenter
• 22 September - Clive Jenkins, trade union leader
• 15 November - Sir Harry Llewellyn, equestrian champion
• 27 November - Ernest Zobole, artist
• 19 December - Desmond Llewelyn, actor
• 23 December - Eirene White, politician