2007 | 2009 | Other years in Wales

2008 in the United Kingdom

2008 in Ireland

Other events of 2008

This article is about the particular significance of the year 2008 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales
• Princess of Wales - Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (does not use title)
• First Minister - Rhodri Morgan
• Deputy First Minister of Wales - Ieuan Wyn Jones
• Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales - Dafydd Elis-Thomas
• Secretary of State for Wales
  • Peter Hain (to January 24)
  • Paul Murphy
• Archbishop of Wales - Barry Morgan (Bishop of Llandaff)

Events

• 24 January - Peter Hain resigns from his government offices (including Secretary of State for Wales) after the Electoral Commission refers to the Metropolitan Police his failure to report donations amounting to £100,000.
• 18 February - Plans to publish Wales's first daily newspaper in the Welsh language, under the title Y Byd (The World), are abandoned because of inadequate finance.
• 1 March - St David's Day Cardiff sees record breaking numbers march in the annual St David's Day parade. The parade left the National Museum of Wales for Y Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
• 7 March - Queen Elizabeth II visits Swansea to open its new leisure centre, a replacement for the building she opened in 1977.
• 16 April - Swansea's new bowls stadium hosts the World Indoor Singles and Mixed Pairs Championship for bowls.
• 16 April - First minister Rhodri Morgan officially opens Amazon.co.uk's 400,000 sq ft Fulfilment Centre in Jersey Marine.
• 1 May - All Wales local council elections.
• 31 May - Swansea Bay Film Festival begins.
• 14 June - In the Queen's Birthday honours list, Russell T. Davies is awarded the OBE and Joe Calzaghe the CBE.

Arts and literature

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair -
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown -
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal -
• Wales Book of the Year:
  • English language:
  • Welsh language:
• Dylan Thomas Award:

New books

• Iolo Morganwg and the Romantic Tradition in Wales: The Correspondence of Iolo Morganwg, Vols 1, 2 & 3 (ed. Geraint H. Jenkins, Ffion Mair Jones & David Ceri Jones)
• The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales

Music

Classical

• Karl Jenkins - Stabat Mater

Albums

• Kids in Glass Houses - Smart Casual

Singles

• Feeder - Miss You (Feeder song)

Film

Broadcasting

Welsh language TV

• Natur Cymru (with Iolo Williams)
• Noson Chis a Meinir

English language TV

• Teen Tribes (with Rhod Gilbert) (BBC2)

Sport

• Football
  • 9 March - Cardiff City F.C. defeat Middlesbrough F.C. to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1927.
  • 6 April - Cardiff City F.C. defeat Barnsley F.C. to reach the final of the FA Cup for the first time since 1927.
  • 17 May - Cardiff City F.C. are defeated by Portsmouth F.C. in the final of the FA Cup
• Rugby union
  • 2 February - Wales defeat World Cup finalists England in their first match of the 2008 Six Nations Championship.
  • 8 March - Wales defeat Ireland to clinch the Triple Crown.
  • 15 March - Wales defeat France to win the Grand Slam for the second time in five years.
  • 12 April - Ospreys defeat Leicester Tigers and lift the EDF Energy Cup trophy.

Births

Deaths

• 1 January - Aled Rhys Wiliam, writer, 81
• 4 February - Peter Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir, politician, 87
• 12 March - Alun Hoddinott, composer, 78
• 18 March - Philip Jones Griffiths, photojournalist, 72
• 24 March - Neil Aspinall, Beatles' friend and assistant, 65
• 17 April - Gwyneth Dunwoody, politician, 77
• 25 April - Humphrey Lyttelton, jazz musician and former Port Talbot steelworker, 86
• 1 May - Mark Kendall, footballer, 49
• 12 June - Derek Tapscott, footballer, 75