2003 in Wales
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 2003 to Wales and its people.
Contents
Incumbents
- Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles
- Princess of Wales – vacant
- First Minister – Rhodri Morgan
- Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Hain
- Archbishop of Wales – Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff (elected)
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Robyn Llŷn
Events
- February - Former Conservative Assembly leader Rod Richards is declared bankrupt with debts estimated at over £300,000.
- 27 February - Rowan Williams is enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury. Dominic Walker is installed as his replacement as Bishop of Monmouth
- 9 March - Ron Davies announces that he is leaving politics after being asked to stand down by his local party following further revelations by the press about his private life.
- 29 March - Porthmadog Cob is bought by the Welsh Assembly Government and the road toll is discontinued after 192 years [1].
- 1 May - In the National Assembly for Wales election, Labour win 30 seats, enabling them to form a government. Following disappointing results for Plaid Cymru, Ieuan Wyn Jones stands down as party president and leader of the assembly group.
- 19 June - Prince William of Wales visits Bangor and Anglesey, to mark his 21st birthday (on June 21).
- August
- National Eisteddfod of Wales held at Meifod.
- A memorial to Owain Lawgoch is unveiled at Montague-sur-Gironde, France.
- October - Dafydd Iwan, newly elected President of Plaid Cymru, escapes a driving ban for speeding offences on the grounds that he needs to drive to fulfil his musical and political engagements.
- 12 October - The Friends of the Leinster hold a service at Holyhead to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Leinster by a German U-boat.
- November - Michael Howard becomes leader of the Conservative Party.
- December - Dafydd Wigley is appointed Pro-Chancellor of the University of Wales.
- 7 December - The Wales & Borders train operating franchise is awarded for a 15-year period to Arriva Trains Wales.
- North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm commences operation.
- The former Brain's Old Brewery site in Cardiff is redeveloped into the 85,000 sq ft (7,900 m2) "Old Brewery Quarter".
- Veteran Cardiff politician Stefan Terlezki goes to the European Parliament to press the case for eventual Ukrainian membership of the European Union.
- In Channel 4's 100 Worst Britons poll (which included only living people), the following entries had Welsh connections:
- H from Steps - 8
- Charlotte Church - 21
- The Prince of Wales - 24
- Catherine Zeta-Jones - 39
- Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen - 42
- Vinnie Jones - 61
- Tom Jones - 72
Arts and literature
Awards
- Glyndŵr Award - Elinor Bennett
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Twm Morys
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Mererid Hopwood
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Cefin Roberts
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Music Medal - Owain Llwyd
- Wales Book of the Year:
- English language: Sugar and Slate - Charlotte Williams
- Welsh language: O! Tyn y Gorchudd - Hunangofiant Rebecca Jones - Angharad Price
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Elfyn Pritchard, Pan ddaw'r dydd
- John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry: Emily Hinshelwood
New books
English language
- Damian Walford Davies - Echoes to the Amen: Essays after R.S. Thomas
- Rhys Hughes - The Percolated Stars
- Bernice Rubens - The Sergeants' Tale
- Rowan Williams - Poems of Rowan Williams
Welsh language
- Bobi Jones - Beirniadaeth Gyfansawdd - Fframwaith Cyflawn Beirniadaeth Lenyddol
- Gerwyn Williams - Tafarn Tawelwch
Music
Albums
- Huw Chiswell - Dere Nawr
- Elin Fflur - Dim Gair (No Words)
- Catrin Finch - Crossing the Stone
- Funeral for a Friend - Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation
- Jakokoyak - Am Cyfan Dy Pethau Prydferth
- Karl Jenkins - Adiemus V: Vocalise
- Stereophonics - You Gotta Go There to Come Back
- Thighpaulsandra - Double Vulgar
Theatre
- Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru established
Film
English-language films
- Michael Sheen stars in Underworld.
Welsh-language films
- Y Mabinogi
Broadcasting
Welsh-language television
- Wawffactor is S4C's answer to Pop Idol.
- Cor Cymru – S4C's search for the best choir in Wales – is broadcast for the first time.
English-language television
- Michael Sheen and Paul Rhys star in the award-winning TV drama, The Deal
- The Story of Welsh presented by Huw Edwards
- Quest For Perfection, written and presented by Russell Davies on BBC Four
- Jamie Baulch finishes third in the BBC's Superstars programme.
Sport
- Cricket
- 31 December - Tony Lewis is awarded the CBE in the New Year Honours List.
- Cycling
- Nicole Cooke wins La Flèche Wallonne Féminine for the first time.
- Football
- Cardiff City F.C. win promotion to the Football League Championship.
- Rugby union
- Introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales - Professional teams launched as follows:
- 1 April - Newport Gwent Dragons (merger of Ebbw Vale and Newport RFCs).
- 6 June - Cardiff Blues.
- 7 July - Llanelli Scarlets.
- 24 July - Neath-Swansea Ospreys.
- Summer - Celtic Warriors (merger of Bridgend and Pontypridd RFCs).
- October - The Wales team participate in the Rugby World Cup in Australia. In the group stages Wales defeat Canada 41-10, Tonga 27-20, and Italy 41-10, but lose to New Zealand 37-53 to qualify for the knockout stages. The team lose to England 17-28 in the quarter-finals.[1]
- Introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales - Professional teams launched as follows:
- Snooker
- 30 November - Matthew Stevens beats Stephen Hendry 10-8 to lift the 2003 UK Championship title.[2]
Births
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Deaths
- 5 January – Roy Jenkins, politician and Chancellor of Oxford University, 82
- 6 January – Glyn Davies, economist, 83
- 17 January – Goronwy Daniel, academic and civil servant, 88
- 26 January - Kingsley Jones, rugby union prop, 67
- 3 February – Trevor Morris, football player and manager, 82
- 26 February – Brian Evans, footballer, 60
- 14 April - Bob Evans, rugby player, 82
- 13 May – John Savage, prime minister of Nova Scotia 1993-97, 70
- 29 May – Trevor Ford, footballer, 79
- 8 June – Leighton Rees, darts player, 63
- 10 June – Phil Williams, politician, 64
- 16 June - Ivor Bennett, rugby player, 90
- 17 July – Dr David Kelly, government scientist, 59
- 21 July – John Davies, Olympic athlete of Welsh descent, 65
- 3 August - Norah Isaac, educationalist
- 5 August – Benjamin Noel Young Vaughan, Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, 85
- 20 September – Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn, politician, 62
- 25 September
- David Williams, crime novelist, 77
- Dai Davies, Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, 78
- 29 September – Billy Cleaver, Wales international rugby union player, 82
- 7 October – Henry Herbert, 17th Earl of Pembroke, 64
- 23 November – Paul Grant, bodybuilding champion, 60
- 27 November – Dai Francis, singer, 73
- 1 December – Hugh Rees, politician, 75
- 19 December – Roy Hughes, Baron Islwyn, politician, 78
- 20 December – Robin Williams, broadcaster and essayist, 80
- date unknown – Brian Morgan Edwards, businessman
