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)

port

*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