1954 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1954 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Archbishop of Wales – John Morgan, Bishop of Llandaff
 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Dyfnallt

Events

 * 1 April – Civilian flights from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport at Pengam Moors are transferred to the new Cardiff Airport near Rhoose.
 * 29 May – Gwyneth Phillips marries John Dunwoody, continuing a dynasty of Labour politicians.
 * 19 June – The Welsh Chess Union is founded.
 * October – Launch of the Empire News, the first Sunday newspaper to be printed and published in Wales.
 * 19 October – Gwilym Lloyd George becomes Home Secretary and Minister for Welsh Affairs – the first Welshman to hold the position.
 * 9 December – Flag of the Church in Wales officially inaugurated.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ystradgynlais)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – John Evans, "Yr Argae"
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – E. Llwyd Williams, "Y Bannau"
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Owen Elias Roberts, Y Gor o Ystradgynlais

New books

 * Dannie Abse – Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve
 * Kingsley Amis – Lucky Jim
 * Glyn Daniel – Welcome Death
 * Margiad Evans – The Nightingale Silenced (unpublished)
 * Ronald Fenton – The Story of Sker House
 * Eiluned Lewis – Honey Pots and Brandy Bottles
 * V. E. Nash-Williams – The Roman Frontier in Wales
 * Bertrand Russell – Nightmares of Eminent Persons and Other Stories
 * Dylan Thomas – Quite Early One Morning

Music

 * Geraint Evans stars in William Walton's new opera, Troilus and Cressida.
 * Alun Hoddinott – Clarinet Concerto (performed at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli).
 * Arwel Hughes – Menna (opera)
 * Daniel Jones – Symphony no 4

Film

 * Donald Houston co-stars in Doctor in the House.
 * Ray Milland stars in Dial M for Murder.
 * The Black Knight, starring Alan Ladd, is partly filmed at Castell Coch.

Broadcasting

 * 25 January – Under Milk Wood is performed for the first time on BBC radio with an all-Welsh cast led by Richard Burton and including Hugh Griffith, Rachel Thomas and Philip Burton.

Sport

 * Football – John Charles finishes the 1953–54 season having scored 42 goals for Leeds United.
 * Rugby union – Wales win the Five Nations Championship, but a loss against England prevents Wales lifting the Triple Crown.
 * BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ken Jones

Births

 * 5 January – Elgan Rees, Wales international rugby player
 * 6 January – John Sparkes, comedian
 * 21 January – Tony Ridler, darts player
 * 12 March – Chris Needs, broadcaster
 * 13 March – Francis Ormsby-Gore, 6th Baron Harlech
 * 17 March – Trish Law, born Patricia Bolter, AM, politician
 * 6 April – Alan Curtis, footballer
 * 19 April – Jon Owen Jones, politician
 * 23 May – David Richards, Wales international rugby player
 * 28 May – Gwyn Morgan, writer
 * 9 June
 * Paul Chapman, rock guitarist
 * Rhys Morgan, Wales international rugby player
 * 7 July – Mickey Thomas, Welsh international footballer
 * August – Ceri Sherlock, filmmaker and theatre director
 * 27 August – Bryn Fôn, singer and actor
 * 12 September – Sir Michael Moritz, businessman and philanthropist
 * 19 September – Mark Drakeford, politician
 * 24 September – Helen Lederer, comedian and actress
 * 25 September – Gareth Thomas, politician
 * 12 October – Keith Griffiths, architect
 * 13 October – Kim Davies, cricketer
 * 14 October – Lowri Gwilym, television and radio producer
 * 13 November – Les Keen, Wales international rugby player

Deaths

 * 12 January – Thomas Brinsmead Williams, cricketer, 69
 * 6 March – William Davies Thomas, academic, 74
 * 25 March – William Jackson, footballer, 78
 * 10 April – Harry Hiams, rugby union international, 67
 * 6 May – J. J. Williams, poet and archdruid, 84
 * 15 June
 * William Ewart Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose, 74
 * Charles Edwards, politician, 87
 * 10 July – Jack Anthony, jockey, 64
 * 10 August – Ernest Morgan, architect and painter, 72/73
 * 29 September – William John Gruffydd, author and politician, 73
 * 31 October – Rhys Davies, trade unionist and politician, 77
 * 8 November – Sir Geoffrey Crawshay, soldier and social benefactor, 62
 * 3 December – Sir Joseph Davies, statistician and Liberal politician, 87
 * 14 December – Cliff Pritchard, Welsh international rugby player, 73
 * 20 December – Frank Connah, hockey player, 70
 * 22 December – Robert Richards, Welsh politician, 70