2009 in Wales
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See also: | List of years in Wales Timeline of Welsh history
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 2009 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- First Minister
- Rhodri Morgan (until 9 December)
- Carwyn Jones
- Secretary of State for Wales
- Paul Murphy(until 5 June)
- Peter Hain
- Archbishop of Wales – Barry Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
- Dic Jones (outgoing)
- Jim Parc Nest (incoming)
Events
- 1 January
- The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, broadcasts a New Year message on BBC television. He warns against losing sight of our "real treasure" and says: "Our hearts will be in a very bad way if they're focused only on the state of our finances."[1]
- Record numbers of swimmers participate in New Year's Day charity swims at
- 2 January - Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson denies having criticised the failure to include all UK Paralympic gold medal-winners in the UK New Year Honours List.[3]
- 9 January - The UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, visits south Wales as part of a 3-day tour of the regions.[4]
- 15 January - Welsh Conservative Assembly Members issue an announcement saying that they give their unanimous support to Nick Bourne as leader of the Assembly group.[6]
- 19 January - The Cardiff International Sports Stadium opens, replacing the old Cardiff Athletics Stadium
- 22 January - After having been the only police force in the UK to record an increase in crime during 2007-2008, South Wales Police witnesses a 4% drop in crime in its area, according to the latest British Crime Survey.[7]
- .
- 11 February - Four people are killed in a mid-air collision between two light aircraft near Kenfig. They are two female air cadets from Rhondda, aged 13 and 14, and two RAF instructors.[10]
- 18 February
- 2009 BRIT Awards; her album Rockferry wins Best Album.
- The inquest opens into the Kenfig air crash of 11 February.[11]
- 6 March - Boxer Joe Calzaghe wins a court action against his former manager Frank Warren, claiming £2 million in unpaid fees.[13]
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.[17]
- 21 July - The first race meeting is held at Ffos Las racecourse, the first new National Hunt racecourse to be built in the United Kingdom for 80 years.[18]
- Bala.
- SWALEC Stadium.
- 12 August - Wales begins the process of digital switchover with the turning off of parts of the analogue signal from the Kilvey Hill transmitter.[20]
- 29 September - On his 70th birthday, Rhodri Morganannounces that he will stand down as First Minister in December.
- St David's Centre in Cardiff re-opens as one of the largest shopping centres in the United Kingdomafter its multimillion-pound extension and the reconstruction of the surrounding area.
- November - Mererid Hopwood, the first woman to be nominated for the position of Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, withdraws her name from consideration, leaving T. James Jones as the only candidate.
- 12 November - Health & Social Services Minister Edwina Hart declines a request by Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williamsto review how £1 billion has been spent on NHS services in Wales.
- 13 November - The agreement A New Understanding is signed by representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government and the Welsh Local Government Association.[21]
- 18 November - A report by the All Wales Convention finds that public opinion is narrowly in favour of increasing the powers of the Welsh Assembly.[22]
- 21 November
- Dannie Abse receives the Wilfred Owen Poetry Award.
- Pride In Barry announces the planned placement of a Blue Plaque on 19 Porth Y Castell, Barry, in memory of boxer Jack Petersen.
- First Minister for Wales.[23]
- 16 December - The Afan Lido leisure complex in Port Talbot is badly damaged by fire.[24]
Arts and literature
Awards
- Glyndŵr Award – Llŷr Williams
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – withheld
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Ceri Wyn Jones
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal – Dyfed Edwards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Fine Art Medal – Elfyn Lewis
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Siân Melangell Dafydd
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen – Fflur Dafydd
- Wales Book of the Year:
- English language: Deborah Kay Davies – Grace, Tamar and Laszlo the Beautiful
- Welsh language: William Owen Roberts – Petrograd
- Kyffin Art Prize: Louisa Theunissen[26]
- Cân i Gymru: Elfed Morgan Morris – "Gofidiau"
- BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition:[27]
- Main Prize – Ekaterina Scherbachenko
- Song Prize – Jan Martinik
New books
Welsh language
- Robat Gruffudd - A Gymri Di Gymru?
- Lloyd Jones - Y Dŵr
English language
- Emyr Humphreys - The Woman at the Window
- Siân James - Return to Hendre Ddu
- Nigel Owens - Half Time
- Malcolm Pryce - From Aberystwyth with Love
- John Powell Ward - The Last Green Year
Music
Classical
- Catrin Finch - Goldberg Variations (transcribed for harp)
- Rhydian - O Fortuna
Albums
- Derwyddon Dr Gonzo - Stonk!
- Only Men Aloud! - Band of Brothers
Singles
- Vanessa Jenkins and Bryn West - "Barry Islands in the Stream" featuring Sir Tom Jones and Robin Gibb
Theatre
- May - National Theatre Wales, an English-language theatre company, is established with a grant of £3 million.[28]
Film
- Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, starring Michael Sheen
Broadcasting
Welsh-language TV
English-language TV
- Coal House[30]
- Doctor Who - David Tennant films his final scenes as The Doctor in Cardiff.
- Gavin & Stacey - series 3
Sport
- January - Simon Lawson of Cardiff wins the 28th annual Richard Burton 10 km run[31] in a time of 31 minutes.
- 21 March - Wales are narrowly defeated by Ireland to finish third overall in the 2009 Six Nations Championship (rugby union).
- June - The first race meeting is held at the newly constructed Ffos Las racecourse.
- .
- BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year - Ryan Giggs[32]
Births
- 11 January - Dexter Lloyd Henson, son of Charlotte Church and Gavin Henson
Deaths
- 9 January - T. Llew Jones, writer, 93[33]
- 10 January - Eluned Phillips, writer, 94[34]
- 13 January - Dai Llewellyn, socialite, 62[35]
- 9 February
- Gareth Alban Davies, academic, 82
- Reg Davies, footballer, 79
- 10 February - Gerwyn Williams, rugby union footballer, 84
- 14 February - Sir Bernard Ashley, entrepreneur, 82[37]
- Ian L. Jenkins, former Surgeon General of the British Armed Forces, 64
- 26 February - Jackie Bowen, Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer, 93
- Gerard Morgan-Grenville, environmentalist, 77
- 12 March - Huw Thomas, broadcaster, lawyer and politician, 81
- 22 March - Emyr Price, historian, 64
- 23 March - Geoff Holmes, cricketer, 50[38]
- 12 April - John Maddox, biologist, 83
- 22 April - Cliff Curvis, British and Commonwealth boxing champion, 81
- May - Ralph Morgan, Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer, 88?
- 14 May - Ken Hollyman, footballer, 86
- 16 May - Einion Evans, poet, 82
- 31 May - Brian Edrich, former Glamorgan cricket coach, 86
- 5 June - Haydn Tanner, Wales international rugby union footballer, 92
- 19 June - Major Sean Birchall, soldier, 33 (killed on active service)[39]
- 6 July - Bleddyn Williams, rugby union footballer, 86
- 11 July - Geraint Owen, actor and politician, 43
- Noel Jones, Anglican bishop, 76
- David Glyndwr Tudor Williams, barrister and academic, 78
- 9 September - Stanley Cornwell Lewis, artist, 103
- 7 October - Helen Watts, operatic contralto, 81
- 10 October - Sir Bryan Hopkin, economist, 94
- 11 October - Patrick Hannan, radio and TV journalist, 68
- 17 October - Douglas Blackwell, actor, 85
- 20 October - Hubert Rees, actor
- 12 November - Orig Williams, wrestler and TV presenter, 78
- 16 December - T. G. H. James, Egyptologist, 86
- 30 December - Maldwyn Evans, bowls champion, 72
See also
References
- ^ Bagnall, Steve (1 January 2009). "Archbishop of Canterbury warns that money isn't everything". Daily Post. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012.
- ^ "Records broken at New Year swim". BBC News. 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Dame Tanni denies honours worry". BBC News. 2 January 2009.
- ^ "Jobs key to Welsh economy says PM". BBC News. 9 January 2009.
- ^ "Rescuers injured helping climbers". BBC News. 11 January 2009.
- ^ Powys, Betsan (15 January 2009). "Bourne free?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2009.
- ^ Devine, Darren (23 January 2009). "Home Office report shows 4% crime drop in South Wales". WalesOnline. Media Wales.
- ^ "Fears over 1,100 Welsh steel jobs". BBC News. 26 January 2009.
- ^ "Two found dead after Snowdon hunt". BBC News. 2 February 2009.
- ^ "Third child tragedy for plane crash mum". WalesOnline. Media Wales. 12 February 2009.
- ^ Devine, Darren (18 February 2009). "Inquest into tragic plane crash opened". WalesOnline. Media Wales.
- ^ "Abseil in dark to rescue climbers". BBC News. 22 February 2009.
- ^ "Calzaghe wins case against Warren". BBC News. 17 March 2009.
- ^ "Hoover Washing Machines Page 2". Old Merthyr Tydfil. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ "ftrmetro has arrived in Swansea". goftr.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
- ^ "£8.4m Snowdon summit cafe opens". BBC News. 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Aqueduct crowned 'world wonder'". BBC News Online. 27 June 2009.
- ^ "New Wales racecourse goes flat out". NewsWales. 13 July 2009. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011.
- ^ "305 jobs to go at Indesit factory". BBC News. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- Digital UK. 2009. Archived from the originalon 7 August 2009.
- ^ "Welsh Assembly Government And Local Governments Sign Up To A New Understanding". eGovmonitor.com. 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 16 November 2009.
- ^ "More powers for Wales says report". BBC News. 18 November 2009.
- ^ "Carwyn Jones clinches leadership in Wales". WalesOnline. Media Wales. 1 December 2009.
- ^ "'Guarantee' fire-hit Afan Lido to be replaced". BBC News. 17 December 2009.
- ^ "Crater in car park investigated". BBC News. 31 December 2009.
- ^ "First Kyffin art prize is awarded". BBC News. 25 October 2009.
- ^ "BBC Cardiff Singer of the World – 2009 competition". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009.
- ^ Lyn Gardner (5 November 2009). "National Theatre of Wales: by the people, for the people". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ Rygbi
- ^ "BBC One - Coal House". Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ "Burton tribute 10km run success". BBC News. 11 January 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "BBC Wales Sport Personality winners". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Colli 'un o eiconau'r genedl'" (in Welsh). BBC Cymru. 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Eluned Phillips: The only woman poet to have won the National Eisteddfod's Crown twice", The Independent obituary, 13 February 2009 Archived 22 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 19 August 2015
- ^ Burgess, Kaya (14 January 2009). "Sir Dai Llewellyn dies aged 62". The Times. London. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
- ^ Mat Kendrick (22 January 2009). "Ex-Villa manager Vic Crowe dies". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "Sir Bernard Ashley". The Telegraph. 15 February 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Ex-Glam star Holmes dies". South Wales Argus. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ^ "Major Sean Birchall killed in Afghanistan". gov.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "Daughter of Dylan Thomas has died". BBC. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "Dic Jones: Archdruid of Wales and master poet in the strict metres of". The Independent. 2009-08-21. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2017-09-14.