2007 in Wales
Encyclopedia
This article is about the particular significance of the year 2007 to Wales
and its people
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and its people
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Incumbents
- Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
- HRH The Prince CharlesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... - Princess of WalesPrincess of WalesPrincess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
- HRH Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (does not use title) - First Minister - Rhodri MorganRhodri MorganHywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
- Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for WalesPresiding Officer of the National Assembly for WalesThe Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales is the Speaker of the National Assembly for Wales, elected by the Members of the National Assembly for Wales to chair their meetings ; to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the...
- Dafydd Elis-ThomasDafydd Elis-ThomasDafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, PC, AM, is a Welsh politician and was the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales until 2011... - Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for WalesThe Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
- Peter HainPeter HainPeter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for... - Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished...
- Barry MorganBarry MorganBarry Cennydd Morgan has been the Archbishop of the Church in Wales since 2003.-Early life:Morgan was born in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot and studied history at University College, London and theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge...
(Bishop of LlandaffBishop of LlandaffThe Bishop of Llandaff is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff.-Area of authority:The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul , in the village of Llandaff, just north-west of the City of...
)
Events
- 2 January - A survey finds that eight of the top ten "unhealthiest places to live" in the UK are in Wales, with Merthyr TydfilMerthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
leading the list. - 12 January - Welsh actor Michael SheenMichael SheenMichael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
is nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor in a Film (for his performance as Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
in The QueenThe Queen (film)The Queen is a 2006 British drama film directed by Stephen Frears, written by Peter Morgan, and starring Helen Mirren as the title role, HM Queen Elizabeth II...
). - 16 January - It is announced that a £14 billion training academy for all three armed forces is to be built at St AthanSt AthanSt Athan is a village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales.-History and amenities:The English name is a corruption of the Welsh female Saint Tathan, described by Iolo Morgannwg as the daughter of the King of Gwent. The village and parish church is dedicated to St Tathan. There are...
in south Wales. - 30 January - Connie FisherConnie FisherConnie Fisher is a Welsh actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
wins the Critics' Circle Most Promising Newcomer Award. - 1 February - The Travel Magazine names Oxwich beach the most beautiful in Britain.
- 7 February - A device is sent to the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing AgencyDriver and Vehicle Licensing AgencyThe Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is the organisation of the UK Government responsible for maintaining a database of drivers and a database of vehicles in Great Britain; its counterpart in Northern Ireland is the Driver & Vehicle Agency...
centre in SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, south WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Four workers are taken to Morriston HospitalMorriston HospitalMorriston Hospital is a 750 bed hospital located in Cwmrhydyceirw near Morriston in Swansea, Wales. Morriston is the largest hospital in the city and county of Swansea and is operated by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board. Alongside its role as a district general hospital, Morriston...
in Swansea, including a woman with cuts to her hands and body. - 9 February - Unpredicted snow storms wreak havoc across the country. 602 schools and many more business forced to close. Traffic is heavily disrupted. Parts of the M4 motorway temporary close and 500 people are trapped in cars on the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands.
- 12 February - A report by the National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural BeautyThe National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
reveals that more than 70% of the coastline in Wales, including 143 miles of coastline, is under threat from coastal erosion and flooding. - 22 February - It is confirmed that Prince HarryPrince Harry of WalesPrince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
will be serving with his regiment in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. - 1 April - PrescriptionMedical prescriptionA prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
charges are abolished for NHS patients in Wales. - 2 April - Smoking banSmoking banSmoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
comes into force in all enclosed public places. - 4 May - In the elections for the National Assembly for WalesNational Assembly for WalesThe National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
, Labour suffer a net loss of three seats, Plaid Cymru make a net gain of three seats, and all other parties retain the same number of seats as before the election. Labour no longer have an overall majority. Alun PughAlun PughAlun John Pugh is a former Labour Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport. Pugh was born into a poor coal mining family in the Rhondda Valleys. He moved to North Wales in the mid 1980s. Pugh currently lives in his former constituency near Ruthin, and lived in...
becomes the only Assembly minister to lose his seat, defeated by Conservative Darren MillarDarren MillarDarren Millar is a Welsh politician. He is currently a Welsh Conservative member of the National Assembly for Wales for Clwyd West.-Personal:Darren Millar lives in the Kinmel Bay area with his wife and two children...
. Labour defector John Marek loses his seat to his former constituency secretary, Lesley GriffithsLesley GriffithsLesley Griffiths AM is a Welsh Labour politician. She worked as a secretary to John Marek and the constituency assistant to Ian Lucas, successive Members of Parliament for Wrexham, and was elected to the National Assembly for Wales from the Wrexham constituency in 2007...
. Plaid Cymru's Mohammad AsgharMohammad AsgharMohammad Asghar , known as Oscar, is an Asian politician, who has been a member of the Conservative party, the Labour party, and Plaid Cymru. He came to prominence after being elected to the Welsh Assembly in 2007 as a member of Plaid Cymru on the list for South Wales East...
becomes the first Assembly member from an ethnic minority. - 16 May - It is announced that Prince HarryPrince Harry of WalesPrince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
will not after all be serving with his regiment in Iraq. - 26 May - It is announced that the Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
awarded to Siegfried SassoonSiegfried SassoonSiegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
will go on display at the Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch FusiliersThe Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
museum in CaernarfonCaernarfonCaernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
. - 4 June - Claire Jones is appointed official harpist to the Prince of Wales http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6719685.stm
- 17 June - Paul PottsPaul PottsPaul Robert Potts is an English pop opera tenor who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot". As a singer of operatic music, Potts recorded the album One Chance, which went to #1 in nine countries...
, from Port Talbot, wins the national final of Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. - 27 June - One WalesOne WalesOne Wales is the coalition agreement for the National Assembly for Wales between Labour and Plaid Cymru agreed to by Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, and Ieuan Wyn Jones, leader of Plaid Cymru, on 27 June 2007. It was negotiated in the wake of the preceding...
agreement between Welsh Labour Party and Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
. - July - The International Eisteddfod at LlangollenLlangollenLlangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
is the best-attended since the event began, with ticket sales up 11% on the previous year. - 26 July - Efforts to save the life of ShamboShambo"Shambo" was a black Friesian bull living in the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint in Wales, who had been adopted by the local Hindu community as a sacred animal...
, a black Friesian bull living at the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near LlanpumsaintLlanpumsaintLlanpumsaint is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. In the 2001 UK Census, Llanpumsaint community had a population of 595...
, finally fail and the bull is put down after testing positive for tuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. - 4–11 August - The National Eisteddfod of WalesNational Eisteddfod of WalesThe National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
is held at Mold, FlintshireMold, FlintshireMold is a town in Flintshire, North Wales, on the River Alyn. It is the administrative seat of Flintshire County Council, and was also the county town of Clwyd from 1974 to 1996...
. - 14 September - Ioan GruffuddIoan GruffuddIoan Gruffudd is a Welsh actor.Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language film productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film Titanic , and as Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down...
marries Alice EvansAlice EvansAlice Jane Evans is an American-born English actress.-Early life:Evans, the daughter of educators and the granddaughter of a coal miner, was born in New Jersey, USA and grew up in Bristol, England. She graduated from University College London with a 2:1 in French and Italian.-Career:After...
. - 17 September - Five people are killed in a two-car collision on the M4 motorway at NewportNewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
. - 30 September - Unveiling of the first Welsh national memorial to the Falklands warFalklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
takes place in CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. - 16 October - Houses are evacuated when part of the Monmouthshire & Brecon CanalMonmouthshire & Brecon CanalThe Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is a small network of canals in South Wales. For most of its length it runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, and its present rural character and tranquillity belies its original purpose as an industrial corridor for coal and iron, which were brought to...
's bank collapses at GilwernGilwernGilwern is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. The name is translated from the Welsh language as "the nook near the alder grove". It is within the Llanelly parish ward of Monmouthshire County Council, west of market town of Abergavenny.-Attractions:...
. - 9 December - Joe CalzagheJoe CalzagheJoseph William Calzaghe, CBE, MBE is a Welsh former professional boxer. He is the former WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, The Ring & British super middleweight champion and The Ring light heavyweight champion....
is voted BBC Sports Personality of the YearBBC Sports Personality of the YearThe BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - T. James JonesT. James JonesT. James Jones is a Welsh poet and dramatist, and is Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales. He is also known by the bardic name Jim Parc Nest....
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Tudur Dylan Jones
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Mary Payne
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal - Nic Ros
- Wales Book of the YearWales Book of the YearThe Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors...
:- English language: Lloyd JonesLloyd JonesLloyd Peniston Jones was an American athlete. He competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.In the 800 metres, Jones finished third in his semifinal heat and did not advance to the final....
, Mr Cassini - Welsh language: Llwyd OwenLlwyd OwenLlwyd Owen is an award-winning Welsh-language fiction author born in Cardiff in 1977. He lives in Cardiff with his wife and daughter and works as a translator when not writing fiction...
, Ffydd Gobaith Cariad
- English language: Lloyd Jones
- Dylan ThomasDylan ThomasDylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
Award:
- BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competitionBBC Cardiff Singer of the World competitionBBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition is a competition for opera and art singers held every two years....
:- Main Prize - Shenyang
- Song Prize - Elizabeth WattsElizabeth WattsElizabeth Watts is a British soprano.Watts studied archaeology at Sheffield University and graduated with first class honours. Beginning in 2002, she studied music at the Royal College of Music with Lillian Watson. She graduated in 2005 with distinction and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother...
- Glyndŵr AwardGlyndwr AwardThe Glyndŵr Award is made for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales. It is given by the Machynlleth Tabernacle Trust to pre-eminent figures in music, art and literature in rotation...
- Shani Rhys JamesShani Rhys JamesShani Rhys James MBE is a Welsh painter based in Llangadfan, Powys. She has been described as "arguably one of the most exciting and successful painters of her generation" and "one of Wales’ most significant living artists". She was elected to the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art in 1994... - Cân i GymruCân i GymruCân i Gymru is a Welsh television show broadcast on S4C annually. It was first introduced 42 years ago when BBC Cymru wanted to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. It usually takes place at Afan Lido in Port Talbot. It has taken place every year except 1973...
: Einir DafyddEinir DafyddEinir Dafydd is a Welsh singer who won the third series of the television talent show Wawffactor and the 2007 Cân i Gymru competition.Dafydd started her career as the lead singer in the band Garej Dolwen, but first came to prominence after winning the Wawffactor competition televised on S4C in...
and Ceri Wyn Jones - "Blwyddyn Mas"
New books
- Grahame DaviesGrahame DaviesGrahame Davies is a poet, editor and literary critic. He was brought up in the former coal mining village of Coedpoeth near Wrexham in north east Wales.-Education:...
- Real Wrexham - Peter Ho DaviesPeter Ho DaviesPeter Ho Davies is a contemporary British writer of Welsh and Chinese descent.-Biography:Born and raised in Coventry, Davies studied physics at Manchester University then English at Cambridge University....
- The Welsh Girl - Mererid HopwoodMererid HopwoodMererid Hopwood is a Welsh poet who made history in 2001 by becoming the first woman ever to win the bardic Chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales....
- Ar Bwys - Eirian Jones - The War of the Little Englishman: Enclosure Riots on a Lonely Welsh Hillside
- Watcyn L Jones - Cofio Capel Celyn
- Owen SheersOwen SheersOwen Sheers is a Welsh poet, author, playwright, actor and TV presenter.-Biography:Owen Sheers was born in Suva, Fiji in 1974 and brought up in Abergavenny, South Wales...
- Resistance - J. P. R. WilliamsJ. P. R. WilliamsMr John Peter Rhys Williams, MBE, FRCS , is a British surgeon who was a very successful rugby union player. He was known universally as J.P.R. Williams . He played for Wales between 1969 and 1981...
- Given the Breaks: My Life in Rugby
Albums
- Aled JonesAled JonesAled Jones is a Welsh singer and television/radio personality, broadcaster and television presenter who first came to fame as a treble...
- Reason To Believe - Karl JenkinsKarl Jenkins-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
- This Land of Ours (with the Cory BandCory BandThe Cory Band, formerly the Buy As You View Band, is one of the oldest and best known brass bands in the world.-History and origins:The Cory Band hails from the Rhondda Valley in Wales. They were formed in 1884 and originally bore the name ‘Ton Temperance’ a reference to the Temperance movement in...
and Cantorion) - Katherine JenkinsKatherine JenkinsKatherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
- Viva - Kelly JonesKelly JonesKelly Jones is a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of the band Stereophonics. Influenced by classic rock bands such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and the Sex Pistols, Jones is noted for his strong, gravelly voice, which has been described as "whisky" vocals...
- Only the Names Have Been ChangedOnly the Names Have Been ChangedOnly the Names Have Been Changed is the solo debut album by Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones.As Jones explains, "we were recording the sixth Stereophonics album...and in-between takes I started doing these songs off the cuff. Three or four tracks in I realised that this could actually be... - Natasha MarshNatasha MarshNatasha Jane Marsh is a Welsh operatic soprano. A highly-regarded performer in both opera and oratorio, her debut album, Amour, topped the classical album charts in 2007. She has toured with artists such as G4, Russell Watson, Il Divo and Paul Potts...
- Amour - Paul PottsPaul PottsPaul Robert Potts is an English pop opera tenor who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot". As a singer of operatic music, Potts recorded the album One Chance, which went to #1 in nine countries...
- One Chance - Gruff RhysGruff RhysGruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
- CandylionCandylionCandylion is the second solo album by Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys. It also features Lisa Jen from the Welsh language band 9Bach on backing vocals and xylophone... - Lisa Scott-LeeLisa Scott-LeeLisa Scott-Lee is a Welsh singer. She has worked as a songwriter and is a graduate of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts stage school. Lisa is best known as one fifth of pop group Steps from 1997 until their split on Boxing Day 2001 and recently reformed in 2011. Scott Lee released her debut...
- Never and Now - StereophonicsStereophonicsThe Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
- Pull the PinPull the PinPull the Pin is the sixth studio album by Stereophonics, released in the UK on 15 October 2007. A Stereophonics newsletter released the "Pull the Pin" album artwork to subscribers. The cover was also shown to MySpace users that had added the band in a bulletin... - Bryn TerfelBryn TerfelBryn Terfel Jones CBE is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly Figaro and Leporello, but has subsequently shifted his attention to heavier roles, especially those by Wagner....
- A Song in My Heart - Elin Manahan ThomasElin Manahan Thomas-Biography:Thomas was born in 1977 in Gorseinon near Swansea, the daughter of M. Wynn Thomas OBE, a Professor of Literature at Swansea University, and Karen Thomas. She was educated at the Welsh-speaking Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr in Gowerton near Swansea, and by the time she was fifteen was singing in the...
- Eternal Light
Broadcasting
- 3 January - Ian Watkins, better known as "H" from Steps, becomes an entrant in the fifth UK series of Celebrity Big BrotherCelebrity Big Brother 2007 (UK)Celebrity Big Brother 2007 was the highly controversial fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off of Big Brother. The series was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK , and involved a number of celebrities referred to as 'housemates', who live in the...
. On the same day, he announces he is gay. - 18 January - S4C introduces a new corporate logo and brand.
- 14 July - Radio TircoedRadio TircoedRadio Tircoed is a self-funding community radio station serving the areas of Tircoed, Penllergaer, Pontardulais, Gorseinon, Pontlliw and the M4 Corridor between J47 and J48 West of Swansea, South Wales...
begins broadcasting on a permanent basis as a community radioCommunity radioCommunity radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
station. - 8 October - BBC Radio CymruBBC Radio CymruBBC Radio Cymru is BBC Cymru's Welsh-language radio station, broadcasting throughout Wales from studios in Cardiff, Bangor, and Aberystwyth on FM since 1977. At the time of its launch it was one of the few FM-only radio services in the UK...
relaunches its C2C2 (radio)C2 is a Welsh language music and youth strand on BBC Radio Cymru, broadcast on weeknights between 8pm and 1am from BBC Cymru's studios in Cardiff and Bangor....
youth and music output.
English-language television
- Coal HouseCoal HouseCoal House is a Welsh television series made by Indus Films for BBC Wales, and broadcast on BBC One Wales, with a subsequent UK wide repeat of both series on BBC Four. Series 1 was set in the depressed economic coalfields of 1927, while Series 2 was set in 1944 as World War II draws to a close...
(documentary series) - Keith Allen stars as the Sheriff of Nottingham in a second series of Robin Hood.
- Gavin & StaceyGavin & StaceyGavin & Stacey is a British comedy television series. A romantic comedy-drama, the show follows the long-distance relationship of Gavin from Billericay in Essex, England, and Stacey from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The writers of the show, actors James Corden and Ruth Jones, also...
, starring Ruth JonesRuth JonesRuth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
, Joanna PageJoanna PageJoanna Louise Page is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Stacey in the television series, Gavin and Stacey.-Early and personal life:...
and Rob BrydonRob BrydonRob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
Sport
- 17 January - ISPAL (Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure) is officially launched.
- 17 March - Wales defeat England in their final match of the 2007 Six Nations Championship2007 Six Nations ChampionshipThe 2007 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 113th series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
, to finish fifth in the final table (beating Scotland only on overall points difference). - 10 May - The James Bevan TrophyJames Bevan TrophyThe James Bevan Trophy is a rugby union trophy which was created in 2007, and named after James Bevan, the Welsh Australian who was the first ever captain of the Wales rugby union team. The trophy was established after a decision on 10 May 2007 by the Welsh and Australian rugby unions to celebrate...
is launched, to commemorate the Australian-born Welsh-raised man who was the first ever captain of the Wales rugby team. - 3 June - Wales reach the semi-finals of the World Sevens (rugby union) tournament at MurrayfieldMurrayfield StadiumMurrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
. - 19 June - Darren MorganDarren MorganDarren Morgan is a Welsh snooker player, who won the World Amateur Championship in 1987, and played on the main World Snooker tour from 1988 through 2007. He earned just under £1 million in prize money, reached a high ranking of 8, and was ranked within the top 16 for many years despite never...
wins the European Masters snookerSnookerSnooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
championship. - July - The Welsh Super Cup (football) is scheduled to be held at AberystwythAberystwythAberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. - 3 August - WalesWales national rugby union teamThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
are defeated 62-5 by England in a warm-up match for the Rugby World Cup. - 29 September - Wales lose to FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in their decisive Group B match, and thus fail to reach the quarter-finals of the Rugby World CupRugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
. - 29 September - Wales wins the gold medal at the European Mixed Curling Championships in Madrid, Spain. The Welsh team of Adrian Meikle (skip), Lesley Carol (third), Andrew Tanner (second), Blair Hughes (lead) and Chris Wells (alternate) took the Gold Medal in a thrilling Final against Denmark.
Births
- 20 September - Ruby Megan Henson, to Wales' celebrity couple, Charlotte ChurchCharlotte ChurchCharlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
and Gavin HensonGavin HensonGavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
Deaths
- 4 January - GrenGrenGrenfell "Gren" Jones MBE was one of Wales's best-known and longest-serving newspaper cartoonists.- Biography :The son of coal miner Harry Jones, Gren was born in Hengoed in the Rhymney Valley...
, cartoonist, 72 - 14 January - Peter PrendergastPeter Prendergast (artist)Peter Prendergast was a Welsh landscape painter. After the death of Sir Kyffin Williams in September 2006, he was recognised as the leading landscape painter in Wales.-Early years:...
, painter, 60 - 21 January - Peter Clarke (Children's Commissioner for Wales)Peter Clarke (Children's Commissioner for Wales)Peter Clarke was a prominent child welfare activist in Wales.His early life included military training at Sandhurst, from which he moved on to social work in London and Brighton, studying philosophy at Sussex University.Clarke worked first at the Stamford House Remand Home in London...
, 58 - 24 January - David Morris, MEP and peace activist, 76
- 30 January - Griffith JonesGriffith Jones (actor)Griffith Jones was an English film, stage and television actor.Born in London, England, Jones was the son of a Welsh-speaking dairy owner. In 1932, he married Robin Isaac, and they had two children: the actors Gemma Jones and Nicholas Jones...
, actor, 97 - 6 February - Sir Gareth Roberts, physicist, 66
- 7 February - Brian WilliamsBrian Williams (rugby player)Brian Richard Williams was a Welsh international rugby union player.-Life & Career:Williams was born in Penffordd, near Maenclochog in Pembrokeshire, into the West Wales farming community. He began playing rugby at Ysgol y Preseli, Narberth RFC and Pembrokeshire RFC, with his brothers John and...
, Welsh international rugby player, 44 - 10 February - Bill ClementBill Clement (rugby player)William Harries "Bill" Clement OBE MC TD was a Welsh international wing who played club rugby for Llanelli and was capped six times for Wales. Clement was described as a staunch tackler with speed and a good turn of pace; and after his appearance for the British Isles was seen as the best...
, Welsh international rugby player and Secretary of the WRU, 91 - 21 February - John RobinsJohn RobinsJohn Robins , was an international rugby union player who attained 11 caps for Wales between 1950 and 1953. A prop, he toured New Zealand and Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 1950 and became the first Lions coach, on the 1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand.Robins was...
, rugby player, 80 - 22 February - Edgar Evans, opera singer, 94
- 1 April - Ivor Wynne-Jones, journalist, 80
- 3 April - Marion EamesMarion EamesMarion Eames was a Welsh novelist.Marion was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, of Welsh parents, but was brought up at Dolgellau from the age of 4, where she attended Dr Williams's School...
, novelist, 85 - 12 April - Len HillLen HillLenard Winston Hill , was a Welsh sportsman, who played first-class cricket for Glamorgan, league football for Swansea Town and Newport County and was also a talented tennis player.-Early sporting career:...
, sportsman, 65 - 13 April - Tony GobleTony GobleAnthony Barton Goble was a Welsh artist.hiGoble was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire into a wealthy family. His father's death when he was a baby resulted in his spending his early years in the care of a Welsh-speaking family. He was later reunited with his mother and elder sisters, who had...
, artist, 63 - 22 May - Ifor OwenIfor OwenIfor Owen was a Welsh educator who was notable for writing, illustrating and publishing Hwyl, the first children's comic book in the Welsh language.-Life history:...
, illustrator, 91 - 11 June - Mercer SimpsonMercer SimpsonMercer Frederick Hampson Simpson , was an English-born writer who spent most of his life in Wales.He was born in Fulham, London, and educated at King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds. He served in the Royal Marines during World War II, and afterwards studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge...
, writer, 81 - 20 July (in MálagaMálagaMálaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
) - Ivor EmmanuelIvor EmmanuelIvor Lewis Emmanuel was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He led the rendition of "Men of Harlech" in the 1964 film Zulu.-Life and career:...
, singer and actor, 79 - 12 August - Alwyn Rice JonesAlwyn Rice JonesAlwyn Rice Jones was Bishop of St Asaph from 1982 to 1999 and also Archbishop of Wales, the Welsh province of the Anglican Communion, from 1991 to 1999...
, former Archbishop of Wales, 73 - 16 August - Roland MathiasRoland MathiasRoland Glyn Mathias , was a Welsh writer, known for his poetry and short stories. He was also a literary critic, and responsible with Raymond Garlick for the success of the literary magazine Dock Leaves , later from 1957 The Anglo-Welsh Review. He edited it from 1961 to 1976...
, poet, 91 - 17 August - Will EdwardsWilliam Edwards (politician)William Henry Edwards, also known as Will Edwards was a British Labour politician.Edwards was born in Amlwch, Anglesey. His father was a tenant farmer and his mother was a seamstress. He was educated at the local Grammar School and at Sir Thomas Jones' Comprehensive School...
, politician, 69 - 6 September - Byron StevensonByron StevensonWilliam Byron Stevenson was a Welsh international footballer.Stevenson played for Leeds United, Birmingham City and Bristol Rovers....
, footballer, 50 - 9 September - Sir Tasker WatkinsTasker WatkinsThe Rt Hon Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE PC was a Lord Justice of Appeal and deputy Lord Chief Justice...
, VC, 88 - 31 October (in MálagaMálagaMálaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
) - Ray GravellRay GravellRaymond William Robert "Ray" Gravell was a Welsh rugby union centre who played club rugby for Llanelli RFC. At international level Gravell earned 23 caps for Wales and was selected for the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa.In his later career he would become a respected broadcaster and...
, rugby player and radio presenter, 56 - 15 November - W. S. JonesW. S. JonesWilliam Samuel Jones , was a Welsh language author, playwright and scriptwriter better known as W. S. Jones or Wil Sam....
, author, 87