2008 in Wales

← 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2008 in Wales → 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Centuries:	19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	List of years in Wales Timeline of Welsh history 2008 in The United Kingdom England Scotland Elsewhere Welsh football: 2007–08 • 2008–09

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

Incumbents

• First Minister – Rhodri Morgan
• Secretary of State for Wales
  • Peter Hain (to January 24)
  • Paul Murphy
• Archbishop of Wales – Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
  • Selwyn Iolen (outgoing)
  • Dic Jones (incoming)

Events

• 18 January – Last working of Tower Colliery, the last deep mine in the South Wales Valleys (official closure: 25 January).
• 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.
• 25 January – Official closure of Tower Colliery in the Cynon Valley, the last deep coal mine to be worked in Wales.[1]
• 11 February – At the 50th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording goes to Hansel and Gretel, starring Rebecca Evans.
• 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)
  • – Soprano Helen Field gives the broadcast première of Alun Hoddinott's Serenissima on BBC Radio 3, shortly before the composer's death.[2]
  • Cardiff sees record-breaking numbers march in the annual St David's Day parade, from National Museum Cardiff to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.^[citation needed]
• 7 March – Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom 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.
  • First minister Rhodri Morgan officially opens Amazon.co.uk's 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m^2) Fulfilment Centre in Jersey Marine.
• 1 May – All Wales local council elections.
• 31 May – Swansea Bay Film Festival begins.
• 12 June – Cardiff Castle opens a new interpretation centre at a cost of £6 million.[3]
• 13 June – While taking part in BBC Radio Cymru's weekly radio show, Dau o'r Bae, Alun Cairns apologises for referring to Italians as "greasy wops".[4]
• 14 June – In the 2008 Birthday Honours list, Russell T Davies is awarded the OBE and Joe Calzaghe the CBE.[5]
• 28 June – At the Wales Book of the Year Awards, Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas reads out the wrong name, and runner-up Tom Bullough arrives on stage only to find he has lost out to Dannie Abse. Bullough comments "The Book of the Year event was out-and-out the worst night of my life."[6]
• 18 July – Rhodri Glyn Thomas resigns from his position in the Welsh Assembly Government after having been reprimanded for smoking in a pub.[7]
• July – North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, based at Wrexham, is renamed Glyndŵr University.
• 2 August – The National Eisteddfod of Wales opens in Cardiff.[8]
• 11 August – A resurvey of Mynydd Graig Goch in the Moel Hebog group of Snowdonia summits determines its height to be 2,000 ft 6in (609.75m) rather than the 1998 ft (609m) previously recorded, qualifying it as a mountain.[9][10]
• 12 September – The Tower, Meridian Quay, is topped out, becoming the tallest building in Swansea and the tallest residential building in Wales.[11]
• 5 October – Delyth Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Drefelin, replaces Kevin Brennan as Lords Minister for the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
• 20 November – AM and Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones makes history by using the Welsh language for the first time as a representative of the UK government at a European Union meeting in Brussels.[12]
• 14 December – Trinity College, Carmarthen, announces negotiations with University of Wales, Lampeter, with a view to a merger.
• 19 December – A haul of 22 million counterfeit cigarettes, the biggest such seizure ever in Wales, is recovered by Cardiff customs officers in a container from Dubai.[13]
• 31 December – In the New Year Honours 2009, Michael Sheen is awarded the OBE and Owain Arwel Hughes the CBE. Cyclists Nicole Cooke and Geraint Thomas receive the MBE.

Arts and literature

• Gillian Clarke succeeds Gwyn Thomas as National Poet of Wales.

Awards

• Glyndŵr Award – Tudur Dylan Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales:[14] Chair – Hilma Lloyd Edwards[15]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Hywel Griffiths[16]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Mererid Hopwood[17]
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal – Glesni Hâf Jones, Dŵr Mawr Dyfn[18]
• Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen: Bet Jones, Craciau[19]
• Wales Book of the Year:
  • English language: Dannie Abse – The Presence[20]
  • Welsh language: Gareth Miles – Y Proffwyd a'l Ddwy Jesebel[21]
• Dylan Thomas Award: Nam Le
• Cân i Gymru: Aled Myrddin – "Atgofion"

New books

• The Academi – Encyclopaedia of Wales / Gwyddoniadur Cymru
• Geraint Talfan Davies – At Arm's Length: Recollections and Reflections on the Arts, Media and a Young Democracy
• Rhys Evans – Gwynfor Evans: a Portrait of a Patriot
• Ray Gravell – Grav in his Own Words
• Simon Jenkins – Wales: Churches, Houses, Castles
• Peter Lord – Winifred Coombe Tennant: a Life through Art (National Library of Wales)
• 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)
• Ian Skidmore – Kyffin: a Figure in a Welsh Landscape
• Dai Smith – Raymond Williams: a Warrior's Tale
• Louie Myfanwy Thomas (d. 1968) writing as Jane Ann Jones – Pererinion
• Rowan Williams – Dostoevsky: Language, Faith and Fiction

Music

Classical

• Alun Hoddinott – Music for String Quartet
• Karl Jenkins – Stabat Mater[22]

Albums

• The Automatic – This Is a Fix
• Duffy – Rockferry
• The Gentle Good – While You Slept I Went Out Walking
• Katherine Jenkins – Sacred Arias
• Kids in Glass Houses – Smart Casual
• Bryn Terfel – First Love: Songs from the British Isles

Singles

• Feeder – Miss You

Film

• Jonathan Pryce appears in Leatherheads.
• Michael Sheen plays David Frost in Frost/Nixon
• Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in Death Defying Acts
• Freebird is filmed and set in Wales.
• Flick, starring Faye Dunaway, is filmed in Wales.

Broadcasting

Welsh-language TV

• Natur Cymru (with Iolo Williams)
• Noson Chis a Meinir

English-language TV

• Teen Tribes (with Rhod Gilbert) (BBC2)[23]
• The Wright Taste

Sport

• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Shane Williams[24]
• BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year – Eleanor Simmonds
• Cycling
  • March – Geraint Thomas is a member of the gold medal-winning team in the UCI Track Cycling World Championships - Men's Team Pursuit.
  • September – Nicole Cooke wins the UCI Road World Championships - Women's Road Race.
• Darts
  • Mark Webster wins the 2008 BDO World Darts Championship.[25]
• 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
  • 10 August – Cyclist Nicole Cooke wins the gold medal in the Women's road race.
  • 16 August – In rowing, Tom James wins a gold medal as one of the British team's victorious coxless four.
  • 18 August – Cyclist Geraint Thomas wins gold as a member of the GB Team Pursuit team.
  • 21 August – 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[26]
  • Laura Mattan, wife of Mahmood Hussein Mattan, the last man to be hanged at Cardiff Prison, who campaigned to have his wrongful conviction overturned, 78[27]
• 4 February – Peter Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir, politician, 87[28]
• 8 March – Patrick Gibbs, RAF Wing Commander, author and film critic, 92
• 12 March – Alun Hoddinott, composer, 78[29]
• 18 March – Philip Jones Griffiths, photojournalist, 72[30]
• 24 March – Neil Aspinall, Beatles' friend and assistant, 65[31]
• 12 April (in Heywood, Greater Manchester) – Dai Royston Bevan, rugby player, 80
• 17 April – Gwyneth Dunwoody, politician, 77[32]
• 25 April – Humphrey Lyttelton, jazz musician and former Port Talbot steelworker, 86[33]
• 1 May – Mark Kendall, footballer, 49[34]
• 19 May – Dai Davies, sports journalist, 69
• 28 May – Elinor Lyon, English children's novelist who retired to Harlech, 86[35]
• 12 June – Derek Tapscott, international footballer, 75[36]
• 16 June – Gareth Jones, rugby player, 28
• 22 June – Ron Stitfall, footballer, 82[37]
• 30 June – Anthony Crockett, Bishop of Bangor, 62[38]
• 14 July – George Noakes, former Archbishop of Wales, 83[39]
• 12 August (in London) – Michael Baxandall, art historian, 74[40]
• 18 August – Bob Humphrys, TV sports presenter, 56[41]
• 20 August – Leo Abse, politician, 91[42]
• 10 September – Vernon Handley, conductor, 77[43]
• 7 October – Leslie Hardman, rabbi, 95
• 22 October – George Edwards, footballer, 87[44]
• 27 October – Colin Gale, footballer, 76
• 12 November – Richard Rhys, 9th Baron Dynevor, 73[45]
• 7 December – John Ellis Williams, novelist, 84

See also

• 2008 in Northern Ireland

References

1. "Coal mine closes with celebration". BBC News. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
2. "Radio 3 listings" (PDF). Radio lists. March 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
3. "New £6 Million Interpretation Centre Opens At Cardiff Castle". Culture24. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
4. "Tory candidate apologises for 'greasy wops' comment". The Guardian. London. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
5. United Kingdom list: "No. 58729". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 14 June 2008. pp. 1–28.
6. Clark, Rhodri (30 July 2008). "Awards gaffe the perfect publicity for book". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
7. "Cigar blunder minister quits job". BBC News. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
8. "Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru". BBC Wales (in Welsh). Retrieved 19 November 2024.
9. "Survey turns hill into a mountain". BBC News. 19 September 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
10. Wainwright, Martin (19 September 2008). "The Welshmen who went up a hill, but came down a mountain". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
11. Turner, Robin (22 January 2016). "These pictures show the changing face of Swansea city centre through the years". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
12. "'Historic' use of Welsh in EU". BBC News. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
13. "22m counterfeit cigarettes found". BBC News. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
14. Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru: The Week's Results Archived 2014-10-30 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 9 November 2014
15. "Chair Winners". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
16. "Crown Winners". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
17. "Prose Medal Winners". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
18. "Drama Medal Winners". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
19. "Daniel Owen Memorial Prize Winners". National Eisteddfod of Wales. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
20. "Dannie Abse – obituary". The Telegraph. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
21. "The Presence wins a Welsh book award". The Guardian. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
22. "Boosey & Hawkes Composers, Classical Music and Jazz Repertoire". www.boosey.com. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
23. "Teen Tribes". BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
24. "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
25. Thomas, Matthew (14 January 2008). "Welshman Mark Webster Wins the BDO World Darts Championship". sport.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
26. "Aled Rhys Wiliam: Welsh scholar and broadcaster". The Independent. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
27. "Wife of last man hanged in Cardiff dies, 78". WalesOnline. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
28. "Lord Thomas of Gwydir: First Tory Welsh Secretary". The Independent. 7 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
29. Lewis, Geraint (14 March 2008). "Alun Hoddinott: Prodigy who became a prolific composer and patriarchal figure in Welsh music". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
30. Kennedy, Randy (20 March 2008). "Philip Jones Griffiths, photographer, Dies at 72". New York Times. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
31. "Neil Aspinall, 'the fifth Beatle', dies aged 66". The Daily Telegraph. 25 March 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
32. "MP Gwyneth Dunwoody dies aged 77". BBC News online. 17 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 April 2008.
33. "Jazz legend Lyttelton dies at 86". BBC News. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
34. "Obituary – Mark Kendall". Tottenham Hotspur F. C. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
35. Julia Eccleshare (24 June 2008). "Elinor Lyon". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
36. "Derek Tapscott: Arsenal and Wales striker". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
37. "FAW mourn defender Ron Stitfall". BBC Sport. 24 June 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
38. "The Right Reverend Anthony Crockett". The Daily Telegraph. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
39. "The Right Rev George Noakes: Archbishop of Wales, 1987–1991". Times, The (London). 22 July 2008. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
40. "Professor Michael Baxandall: Influential art historian with a rigorously cerebral approach to the study of painting and sculpture". The Independent. 22 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
41. Paul Rees (21 August 2008). "Bob Humphrys". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
42. Goodman, Geoffrey (20 August 2008). "Leo Abse". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
43. John Amis (12 September 2008). "Vernon Handley". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
44. Evans, Catherine Mary (23 October 2008). "Tributes to City and Wales star who loved sport". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
45. "Lord Dynevor: patron of the arts in Wales". The Times. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2021.