# 1990 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1990 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Walker (until 4 May); David Hunt
* Archbishop of Wales – George Noakes, Bishop of St David's
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
** Deudraeth (outgoing)
** Ap Llysor (incoming)

## Events

* 26 February - The sea wall at Towyn is breached, resulting in flood damage to 2,800 homes, and the evacuation of a further 2,000.
* 10 June - Death of John Evans, Britain's oldest man whose age (112 years and 295 days) could be authenticated.
* 2 August - Highest ever temperature recorded in Wales until 2022, 35.2 °C (95.4 °F) at Hawarden.
* 27 September - Brymbo Steelworks last tapped.
* 1 November - Veteran Conservative politician Sir Geoffrey Howe resigns from the government.
* December - Privatisation of the former South Wales Electricity Board (SWEB) and Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB).
* 21 December - Last underground shift worked at Mardy Colliery.
* date unknown - Following a referendum, the Vaynor Community Council in Merthyr Tydfil is abolished, the first time such an action has taken place.

## Arts and literature

* Commercial sponsorship of the National Eisteddfod of Wales exceeds £1 million for the first time ever.
* Griffith R. Williams of Llithfaen, Gwynedd, publishes his autobiography, Cofio canrif, making him the world's oldest author at 102.
* Geraint Talfan Davies becomes Controller of BBC Wales.

### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Rhymney Valley)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Myrddin ap Dafydd, "Gwythiennau"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Iwan Llwyd, "Gwreichion"
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld
* Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Geraint V. Jones, Yn y Gwaed

### New books

* John Barnie - The King of Ashes
* Carol-Ann Courtney - Morphine and Dolly Mixtures
* Rees Davies - Conquest and Domination
* Christine Evans - Cometary Phases
* David Jones - Rebecca's Children
* David H. Williams (Welsh Historian) - Atlas of Cistercian Lands in Wales
* Raymond Williams - People of the Black Mountains, vol. 2: The Eggs of the Eagle

#### Welsh language

* Sioned Davies - Pedair Keinc y Mabinogi
* Hywel Teifi Edwards - Codi'r Hen Wlad yn ei Hôl
* Alun Jones - Plentyn y Bwtias
* Dic Jones - Os Hoffech Wybod
* R. Gerallt Jones - Cerddi 1955-1989
* Gwyneth Lewis - Sonedau Redsa A Cherddi Eraill
* Selyf Roberts - Gorwel Agos

### Music

* Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion - Sgwarnogod Bach Bob
* Datblygu - Pyst
* Dave Edmunds - Closer to the Flame
* Hanner Pei - Locsyn
* Siân James - Cysgodion Karma
* Jeffrey Lewis - Westminster Mass
* Manic Street Preachers - "New Art Riot"
* World Party - Goodbye Jumbo

## Film

* Catherine Zeta-Jones plays her first major film role in 1001 Nights

### Welsh-language films

* Chwedl Nadolig
* Nel
* O.M.

## Broadcasting
### Welsh-language television

* The Broadcasting Act 1990 redefines the responsibilities of S4C.
* Programmes:
** Tydi Bywyd yn Boen

### English-language television

* Hughezovka (documentary about John Hughes, founder of Donetsk)

## Sport

* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ian Woosnam
* Football – Hereford United win the Welsh Cup, but Wrexham, as the top Welsh club, take their place in European competition.
* Horse racing – Norton's Coin, trained by Sirrel Griffiths at Nantgaredig, wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup at record odds of 100-1.

## Births

* 10 March - Luke Rowe, cyclist
* 14 March – Joe Allen, footballer
* 1 April – Joe Partington, footballer
* 17 April – Jonathan Brown, footballer
* 19 August – Laura Deas, skeleton racer
* 17 September – Jazmin Carlin, swimmer
* 16 October - Natalie Powell, judoka
* 23 October - Sian Williams, rugby player
* 14 November – Casey Thomas, footballer
* 22 November - Steffan Jones, rugby player
* 26 December – Aaron Ramsey, footballer

## Deaths

* 4 January – Alwyn Sheppard Fidler, architect, 80
* 20 January – Trevor Every, cricketer, 80
* 2 February – Joe Erskine, boxer, 56
* 12 March – Alf Sherwood, footballer, 66
* 13 March – Llewellyn Heycock, Baron Heycock, politician, 84
* 25 March – David Evans, cricketer and umpire, 56
* 2 April – Peter Jones, radio commentator, 60
* 4 May – John Ormond, poet and film-maker, 67
* 9 June – Angus McBean, photographer, 86
* 10 June – John Evans, world's oldest man at the time, 112
* 17 June – Menna Gallie, writer
* 24 June – Sean Hughes, politician of Welsh parentage, 44 (cancer)
* 7 July – Idwal Davies, rugby player, 74
* 6 September – Jack Howells, film-maker, 77
* 29 October – Emrys Roberts, politician, 80
* 1 November – Jack Petersen, former British heavyweight boxing champion, 79
* 8 November – Ned Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 86
* 13 November – Richard Lewis, operatic tenor, 76
* 23 November – Roald Dahl, Cardiff-born children's writer, 74
* 27 November – Cliff Jones, Wales international rugby captain, 76
* 5 December – Eric Whitman, cricketer, 81
* 23 December – Gwilym Williams, former Archbishop of Wales, 77
* 24 December
** Don Dearson, footballer, 76
** David Gwyn Williams, poet, novelist, translator and academic, 86
* date unknown – Cliff Birch, footballer