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2007 in Wales

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{{Year in Wales header|2007}}

This article is about the particular significance of the year 2007 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

Events

  • 2 January – A survey finds that eight of the top ten "unhealthiest places to live" in the UK are in Wales, with Merthyr Tydfil leading the list.{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/towns-among-most-sick-uk-2280677|title=Towns among most sick in the UK|website=WalesOnline|date=11 January 2007|access-date=20 September 2018}}
  • 12 January – Welsh actor Michael Sheen is nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor in a Film (for his performance as Tony Blair in The Queen).{{cite web|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2007/film|title=Film in 2007|access-date=20 September 2018}}
  • 16 January – It is announced that a £14 billion training academy for all three armed forces is to be built at St Athan in south Wales. (The project was scrapped three years later.){{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/huge-defence-training-project-scrapped-as-the-cuts-hit-home-gwt877v0bcj|title=Huge defence training project scrapped as the cuts hit home|date=19 October 2010|website=The Times|access-date=18 June 2024}}
  • 30 January – Connie Fisher wins the Critics' Circle Most Promising Newcomer Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2007/jan/31/theatre2|date=31 January 2018|title=Problem solved: new talent award for Connie Fisher|website=The Guardian|access-date=20 September 2018}}
  • 1 February – Travel Magazine names Oxwich beach the most beautiful in Britain.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6375469.stm|title=Gower beach named Britain's best|date=19 February 2007|website=BBC News|access-date=8 July 2021}}
  • 7 February – A letter bomb is sent to the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency centre in Swansea, south Wales.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/feb/19/ukcrime|title=Police arrest letter bombs suspect|date=19 February 2007|website=The Guardian|access-date=20 September 2018}} Four workers are taken to Morriston Hospital 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 Trust 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 Harry, the son of the Prince of Wales, will be serving with his regiment in Iraq.
  • February – A lightning strike severely damages Llandaff Cathedral organ.
  • March – Llwynywermod estate in the Brecon Beacons is purchased by the Duchy of Cornwall to provide a Welsh residence for the Prince of Wales (now Charles III).
  • 1 April – Prescription charges are abolished for NHS patients in Wales.
  • 2 April – Smoking ban comes into force in all enclosed public places.
  • 4 May – In the elections for the National Assembly for Wales, 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 Pugh becomes the only Assembly minister to lose his seat, defeated by Conservative Darren Millar. Labour defector John Marek loses his seat to his former constituency secretary, Lesley Griffiths. Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar becomes the first Assembly member from an ethnic minority.
  • 8 May – First public flight on the publicly subsidised air service between the new Anglesey Airport and Cardiff International Airport.
  • 16 May – It is announced that Prince Harry will not, after all, be serving with his regiment in Iraq.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/16/iraq.military|title=Prince Harry will not serve in Iraq|date=16 May 2007|website=Guardian|author=Peter Walker|access-date=12 January 2025}}
  • 26 May – It is announced that the Military Cross awarded to Siegfried Sassoon will go on display at the Royal Welch Fusiliers museum in Caernarfon.{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/sassoon-medal-for-museum-display-2254754|title=Sassoon medal for museum display|date=28 May 2007|website=WalesOnline|access-date=12 January 2025}}
  • 4 June – Claire Jones is appointed official harpist to the Prince of Wales{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6719685.stm|title=Royal harpist prepares for debut|date=4 June 2007|publisher=|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}
  • 17 June – Paul Potts, from Port Talbot, wins the national final of the first series of Britain's Got Talent.{{Cite news|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2104959,00.html |title=This is my lifelong dream, says the singing salesman |work=The Guardian |date=17 June 2007 |location=London |first=Vanessa |last=Thorpe |access-date=22 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116023052/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0%2C%2C2104959%2C00.html |archive-date=16 January 2008 }}
  • 27 June – One Wales agreement between Welsh Labour Party and Plaid Cymru.
  • July - The International Eisteddfod at Llangollen 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 Shambo, a black Friesian bull living at the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint, finally fail and the bull is put down after testing positive for tuberculosis.{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6916077.stm |title=BBC News update |access-date=25 July 2007 |archive-date=21 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221035134/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6916077.stm |url-status=live }}
  • 4–11 August - The National Eisteddfod of Wales is held at Mold, Flintshire.
  • 14 September – Ioan Gruffudd marries Alice Evans.
  • 17 September – Five people are killed in a two-car collision on the M4 motorway at Newport.
  • 30 September – Unveiling of the first Welsh national memorial to the Falklands War takes place in Cardiff.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7020079.stm|title=Memorial unveiled for Falklands|date=30 September 2007|website=BBC|access-date=8 July 2021}}
  • 16 October – Houses are evacuated when part of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal's bank collapses at Gilwern.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7078959.stm|title=Canal to be drained after burst|date=5 November 2007|website=BBC|access-date=16 September 2019}}

Arts and literature

=Awards=

=New books=

==Welsh language==

  • Tony Bianchi – Pryfeta{{cite web |title=Pryfeta (Nofel Fuddugol Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru Sir y Fflint a'r Cyffiniau 2007) by Tony Bianchi {{!}} Waterstones |url=https://www.waterstones.com/book/pryfeta-nofel-fuddugol-gwobr-goffa-daniel-owen-eisteddfod-genedlaethol-cymru-sir-y-fflint-ar-cyffiniau-2007/tony-bianchi/9780862439996 |website=www.waterstones.com |access-date=2 August 2021 |language=en}}
  • Mererid Hopwood – Ar Bwys
  • Watcyn L Jones – Cofio Capel Celyn{{cite web|url=https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781847710321/cofio-capel-celyn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024084720/https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781847710321/cofio-capel-celyn|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 24, 2021|title=Cofio Capel Celyn|website=Y Lolfa|access-date=16 September 2019}}
  • Gareth Miles – Y Proffwyd a’i Ddwy Jesebel
  • Mary Annes Payne – Rhodd Mam{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/welsh/hi/newsid_6930000/newsid_6937400/6937435.stm|title=Medal ryddiaith i Mary|date=8 August 2007|language=cy|website=BBC Arlein|access-date=8 June 2018}}

==English language==

=Music=

==Albums==

Film

  • The Baker, starring Damian Lewis and directed by Gareth Lewis, is set and filmed in Wales.{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212103033/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/818798|title=The Baker|website=BFI|access-date=12 January 2025}}

Broadcasting

  • 3 January – Ian Watkins, better known as "H" from Steps, becomes an entrant in the fifth UK series of Celebrity Big Brother. On the same day, he announces he is gay.
  • 18 January – S4C introduces a new corporate logo and brand.{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds41509.html|title=S4C gets a rebrand|accessdate=2007-01-11 |last=Oatts|first=Joanne|date=2007-01-09|website=Digital Spy| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070111094254/http://digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds41509.html| archivedate= 11 January 2007 | url-status= live}}
  • 14 July – Radio Tircoed begins broadcasting on a permanent basis as a community radio station.
  • 8 October – BBC Radio Cymru relaunches its C2 youth and music output.
  • 29 November - XFM South Wales launches.

= Welsh-language television =

  • Codi Canu

= English-language television =

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 Championship, to finish fifth in the final table (beating Scotland only on overall points difference).
  • 10 May – The James Bevan Trophy 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 Murrayfield.
  • 19 June – Darren Morgan wins the European Masters snooker championship.
  • July – The Welsh Super Cup (football) is scheduled to be held at Aberystwyth.
  • 3 August – Wales are defeated 62-5 by England in a warm-up match for the Rugby World Cup.
  • 29 September – Wales lose to Fiji in their decisive Group B match, and thus fail to reach the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
  • 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.
  • BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Joe Calzaghe{{cite news |title=BBC Wales Sport Personality winners |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/wales/20670643 |access-date=2 August 2021}}

Births

  • 17 March – Ruby Evans, artistic gymnast{{cite web |title=Ruby Evans |url=https://www.eurosport.com/olympics/athletes/profile/evans-ruby-1904731/ |website=www.eurosport.com |access-date=30 July 2024}}
  • 17 December – James, son of Prince Edward and Sophie (then Earl and Countess of Wessex). The child is given his father's subsidiary title of "Viscount Severn" as a courtesy title, in recognition of his mother's Welsh ancestry.{{Cite news| title=Wessex titles for Edward and Sophie |work=BBC News| date=19 June 1999|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/royal_wedding/373120.stm | access-date=3 May 2011}} (Prince Edward, Sophie and James have since become Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Earl of Wessex {by courtesy}, respectively.)

Deaths

  • 4 January – Gren, cartoonist, 72{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6230567.stm | website=BBC News | title=Iconic newspaper cartoonist dies | date=4 January 2007 | accessdate=4 September 2019}}
  • 12 January – Berwyn Jones, athlete, 66{{cite web|url=http://www.cowbridge-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=153&headline=OBITUARY:%20Berwyn%20Jones§ionIs=news&searchyear=2007|title=Obituary:Berwyn Jones|date=17 January 2007|author=Ian Golden|website=Cowbridge Gem|access-date=4 September 2019}}
  • 14 January – Peter Prendergast, painter, 60{{cite web |author=|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1539966/Peter-Prendergast.html |title=Obituary:Peter Prendergast |date=20 January 2007|accessdate=4 September 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph}}
  • 21 January – Peter Clarke, Children's Commissioner for Wales, 58{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2007/jan/22/childrensservices.welshassembly|title=Welsh child tsar dies|date=22 January 2007|author=Sara Gaines|website=The Guardian|access-date=4 September 2019}}
  • 24 January – David Morris, MEP and peace activist, 76{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/22/wales.devolution|title=The Rev David Morris|date=22 May 2007|author=Darren Williams|website=The Guardian|access-date=4 September 2019}}
  • 30 January – Griffith Jones, actor, 97{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/griffith-jones-435305.html|title=Griffith Jones|date=7 February 2007|website=The Independent|access-date=4 September 2019|archive-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620004727/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/griffith-jones-435305.html|url-status=dead}}
  • 6 February – Sir Gareth Roberts, physicist, 66{{cite web | url = http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/News/ReportsandPublications/Magazine/MagazineArchive/SPAArchive/SPAJune07/ObituaryJune07.htm | title = Sir Gareth Roberts | date = 2007-02-06 | accessdate = 2011-05-24 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604002505/http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/web/News/ReportsandPublications/Magazine/MagazineArchive/SPAArchive/SPAJune07/ObituaryJune07.htm | archivedate = 4 June 2011 | df = dmy-all }}
  • 7 February – Brian Williams, Welsh international rugby player, 44
  • 10 February – Bill Clement, Welsh international rugby player and Secretary of the WRU, 91
  • 21 February – John Robins, rugby player, 80
  • 22 February – Edgar Evans, opera singer, 94
  • 1 April – Ivor Wynne Jones, journalist, 80
  • 3 April – Marion Eames, novelist, 85
  • 12 April
  • Len Hill, sportsman, 65
  • Maldwyn Jones, historian, 84
  • 13 April – Tony Goble, artist, 63{{cite web|author=Peter Wakelin|date=27 April 2007|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/apr/27/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries|title=Tony Goble: One of Wales's best loved artists, he dedicated himself to the local community|website=The Guardian|access-date=15 September 2019}}
  • 22 May – Ifor Owen, illustrator, 91
  • 11 June – Mercer Simpson, writer, 81
  • 12 June – Colin Fletcher, backpacker and writer, 85{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/sports/othersports/19fletcher.html|title=Colin Fletcher, 85, a Trailblazer of Modern Backpacking, Dies|newspaper= The New York Times|date=19 June 2007}}
  • 12 August – Alwyn Rice Jones, former Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of St Asaph, 73{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6943178.stm|title=Former Archbishop of Wales dies|date=12 August 2007|website=BBC News|access-date=15 September 2019}}
  • 16 August
  • Will Edwards, politician, 69
  • Roland Mathias, poet, 91
  • 6 September – Byron Stevenson, footballer, 50
  • 9 September
  • Steve Jones, rugby player, 55
  • Sir Tasker Watkins, VC, 88{{cite news |url=http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_headline=welsh-hero-tasker-dies-at-88%26method=full%26objectid=19759728%26siteid=50082-name_page.html |title=Welsh hero Tasker dies at 88 |work=icWales.co.uk |date=9 September 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527142124/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_headline=welsh-hero-tasker-dies-at-88&method=full&objectid=19759728&siteid=50082-name_page.html |archivedate=27 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
  • 14 October – Carol Evans, cricketer, 68
  • 31 October (in Málaga) - Ray Gravell, rugby player and radio presenter, 56{{cite news |title=Obituary: Ray Gravell |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/nov/02/guardianobituaries.rugbyunion |first=Paul |last=Rees |date=2 November 2007 |work=The Guardian}}
  • 15 November – W. S. Jones, author, 87{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/w-s-jones-758763.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/w-s-jones-758763.html |archive-date=2022-05-01 |url-access=subscription|title=W. S. Jones|date=20 November 2007|website=The Independent|author=Meic Stephens|access-date=8 July 2021}}{{cbignore}}
  • December
  • Ron Davies, footballer, 75
  • Richard Williams, conductor
  • date unknown – Norman Harris, rugby player

See also

References

{{reflist}}

Category:2007 in Europe

Category:2000s in Wales