1986 in Wales

← 1985 1984 1983 1986 in Wales → 1987 1988 1989
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1986 in The United Kingdom England Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1986 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles
• Princess of Wales – Diana
• Secretary of State for Wales – Nicholas Edwards
• Archbishop of Wales – Derrick Childs, Bishop of Monmouth (retired)
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Elerydd

Events

• 21 April - Elizabeth II is presented with a kilo of Welsh gold for her 60th birthday, in the knowledge that supplies are becoming scarce.
• May - Cardiff City and Swansea City are both relegated to the Football League Fourth Division in England. Swansea, who were in the First Division between 1981 and 1983, recently came close to going out of existence due to huge debts.^[1]
• 30 June - Mardy Colliery, the last pit in the Rhondda, is closed.
• Summer - The Wales National Ice Rink opens in Cardiff.
• November - Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech Castles and Caernarfon and Conwy town walls, designated collectively) become the first Welsh sites designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in the first tranche of U.K. designations.
• December - Bersham Colliery, the last deep mine in the Denbighshire Coalfield, is closed.

Arts and literature

• Alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers formed at Oakdale Comprehensive School.
• The first Welsh Proms are held at St David's Hall, Cardiff.
• The Old Devils, Kingsley Amis's novel set in Wales, wins the Booker Prize.
• Publisher Honno is established in Aberystwyth.^[2]

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Fishguard)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Gwynn ap Gwilym
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - T James Jones
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Ray Evans
• Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Robat Gruffudd, Llosgi

New books

English language

• Duncan Bush - Salt
• Mary Jones - Resistance
• Jenny Nimmo - The Snow Spider
• Christopher Norris - Contest of Faculties
• Oliver Reynolds - Skevington's Daughter
• Alun Richards - Days of Absence
• R. S. Thomas - Experimenting with an Amen
• Gwyn Alf Williams - When Was Wales?
• Raymond Williams - Loyalties

Welsh language

• J. Eirian Davies - Cerddi
• Bobi Jones - Hunllef Arthur
• Dic Jones - Sgubo'r Storws
• Rhiannon Davies Jones - Dyddiadur Mary Gwyn
• Elyn L. Jones - Cyfrinach Hannah
• Angharad Tomos - Yma o Hyd

Music

Classical

• Arwel Hughes - Gloria Patri
• Daniel Jones - Cello Concerto
• Colin Ross - Prelude for Piano

Albums

• Y Cyrff - Dan y Cownter
• Bonnie Tyler - Secrets Dreams And Forbidden Fire (album)
• Chichester Psalms, featuring Aled Jones

Film

Welsh-language films

• Ibiza, Ibiza
• Milwr Bychan
• Rhosyn a Rhith (English: Coming Up Roses)

Broadcasting

Welsh-language television

• Sam Tân (Fireman Sam)

English-language television

• A Child's Christmas in Wales (adaptation of a short story by Dylan Thomas)
• BBC Wales wins awards for Penyberth and Ms Rhymney Valley 1985 (documentary) at the Celtic Film and Television Festival.
• Chris Stuart - Cha Cha Chat Show

Sports

• Athletics: Kirsty Wade becomes the first Welsh woman to win the gold medal in the 800m and 1500m at the Commonwealth Games.
• Boxing:
  • 9 April - Robert Dickie wins the British featherweight title.
• Cricket: Greg Thomas is capped for England. Matthew Maynard becomes the youngest player ever to score 1000 runs for Glamorgan CCC.
• Gymnastics: Andrew Morris becomes British men's champion for the third time.

Births

• 9 January - Craig Davies, footballer
• 21 February - Charlotte Church, singer
• 28 March - Jay Curtis, broadcaster and actor
• 11 April - Dai Greene, athlete
• 25 May - Geraint Thomas, cyclist
• 17 November - Joe Jacobson, footballer

Deaths

• 8 January - Mansel Thomas, conductor and composer, 76
• 9 January - Wilson Jones, footballer, 71
• 15 January - Alfred Bestall, illustrator, 93
• 16 February - John Tripp, poet, 58
• 28 February - Sir Thomas Williams, lawyer and politician, 70
• March - Lewis Valentine, political activist, 92
• 1 March - Tommy Farr, boxer, 72
• 10 March - Ray Milland, actor, 79
• 14 March - Sir Huw Wheldon, television producer and presenter, 69
• 30 April - George Whitcombe, footballer, 84
• 5 June - John Bevan, Wales rugby union coach, 38
• 29 July - Gordon Mills, music industry manager, 51
• 29 August - Annie Powell, politician and Wales's first Communist mayor, 79
• 1 November - Tom Arthur, Wales national rugby player, 80
• 6 November (at Henley-on-Thames) - Howard Thomas, radio producer
• 13 December - Glyn Daniel, archaeologist, 72
• date unknown
  • Geoffrey D. Lloyd, journalist
  • Fred Warren, footballer, 78

References

1. "Season 1985-86".
2. "Honno founder explains how women got a voice". Wales Online. 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2014-02-16.