1898 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1898 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Hwfa Môn
 * Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk
 * Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves
 * Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans
 * Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor (until 29 March); Sir James Williams-Drummond, 4th Baronet (from 12 July)
 * Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
 * Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
 * Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
 * Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne
 * Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
 * Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
 * Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
 * Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank
 * Bishop of Bangor – Daniel Lewis Lloyd
 * Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Lewis
 * Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards (later Archbishop of Wales)
 * Bishop of St Davids – John Owen

Events

 * 22 January — Newspaper Llais Llafur ("Labour Voice") is launched in Ystalyfera, and will continue to be published (under various titles) until 1971.
 * 1 April–1 September — Welsh coal strike fails to remove the sliding scale, linking wages to the price of coal.
 * 28 March–15 August — Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway runs regular market day passenger services.
 * 10 May — Mumbles Pier is opened and the Swansea and Mumbles Railway is extended to it.
 * 2 August — The Llandudno Motor Touring Co begins running excursions with the first motor buses in Wales at Llandudno.
 * 24 October — The South Wales Miners' Federation is founded.
 * 6 December — The Abercynon to Merthyr Tydfil stretch of the Glamorganshire Canal is closed because of subsidence.
 * date unknown
 * Peak year of slate production in Wales.
 * Opening of new docks at Barry and Port Talbot.
 * Opening of Lluest-wen Reservoir.
 * The last stained glass window to be designed by Edward Burne-Jones is installed at St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden, by Morris & Co.

Awards
National Eisteddfod of Wales — held at Blaenau Ffestiniog
 * Chair — Robert Owen Hughes, "Awen"
 * Crown — Richard Roberts, "Charles o'r Bala"

Welsh language

 * Beriah Gwynfe Evans — Dafydd Dafis
 * Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) — Aeron Awen Gwyrosydd
 * John Owen Jones (Ap Ffarmwr) — Cofiant Gladstone
 * T. Gwynn Jones — Gwedi Brad a Gofid

Music

 * none known

Sport

 * Football — The Welsh Cup is won by the "Druids" for the sixth time in its 20-year history
 * Rugby union
 * Senghenydd RFC and Ynysybwl RFC are founded.
 * February — The Welsh Rugby Union is readmitted into the International Football Rugby Board after the events of The Gould Affair and Wales can again play international rugby.
 * 19 March — Wales defeat Ireland 11–3 in a game played at Thomond Park, Limerick

Births

 * 20 January – Tudor Owen, actor (died 1979)
 * 10 February – Thomas Jones, Baron Maelor, politician (died 1984)
 * 20 April – Cliff Williams, Wales international rugby union player (died 1930)
 * 29 July – Dorothy Rees, politician (died 1987)
 * 29 August – Sydney Hinam, Wales international rugby union player (died 1982)
 * 24 September – Henry Arthur Evans, politician (died 1958)
 * 6 October – William John Edwards, Cerdd Dant singer (died 1978)
 * 25 December – Islwyn Evans, Wales international rugby player (died 1974)

Deaths

 * 29 March – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor, politician, 80
 * 25 May – Theophilus Harris Davies, sugar magnate, 64
 * 17 June – Sir Edward Burne-Jones, artist, 64
 * 17 July – Arthur Guest, politician, 56
 * 11 August – Owen Humphrey Davies (Eos Llechid), composer, 59
 * 6 September – Robert Jones, VC recipient, 41 (suicide)
 * 26 September – Joseph Jenkins, farmer and diarist ("The Welsh Swagman"), 80
 * 28 September – Thomas Gee, publisher, 83
 * 29 October – David Stephen Davies, preacher and colonial leader
 * 31 October – William Gilbert Rees, surveyor and explorer, New Zealand settler, 71
 * 2 December – Michael D. Jones, Tad y Wladfa, founder of the Welsh settlement in Patagonia, 76
 * 17 December – William Norton, Wales international rugby player, 36
 * date unknown – John Jones, astronomer, about 80