1973 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1973 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Thomas
 * Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Brinli

Events

 * 10 February - A special conference of the Trades Union Congress is held at Llandrindod Wells as part of the campaign to establish a Wales TUC.
 * April - Elections take place to the new county councils of Wales
 * April - The first Welsh-language papur bro community newspaper, Y Dinesydd, is founded.
 * 10 May - Elections take place to the new Wales district councils, with big gains for the Labour Party in South Wales.
 * May - Sony opens its factory in Bridgend, the first major Japanese investment in Wales.
 * 15 May - The Llyn Brianne dam is officially opened by Princess Alexandra.
 * 17 July - Sixteen-year-old Sandra Newton is found murdered at Tonmawr.
 * 16 September - Sixteen-year-olds Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd are found murdered at Llandarcy. Their murders, along with that of Sandra Newton in July, will remain unsolved for 29 years.
 * 23 October - Professor Brian Josephson wins the Nobel Prize for Physics.
 * During the year, there are 424 road deaths in Wales - an all-time record.
 * Drilling for oil and gas begins off the coast of Wales. A fourth oil refinery opens at Milford Haven.

Arts and literature

 * The Welsh Philharmonia Orchestra is founded.
 * Theatr Ardudwy at Coleg Harlech, designed by Colwyn Foulkes & Partners, opens.
 * Sir Richard Armstrong becomes conductor of Welsh National Opera.
 * Joe Strummer begins his studies at Newport College of Art.
 * Welsh actress Angharad Rees marries Christopher Cazenove.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Ruthin)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Alan Llwyd
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Alan Llwyd
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Emyr Roberts
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal - Urien Wiliam
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Drama Medal - Urien Wiliam

English language

 * Leo Abse - Private Member
 * Gwynfor Evans - Wales Can Win
 * Richard Hughes - The Wooden Shepherdess
 * Emlyn Williams – Emlyn

Welsh language

 * Huw Lloyd Edwards - Y Llyffantod
 * Jane Edwards - Tyfu
 * W. J. Gruffydd (Elerydd) - Cerddi'r Llygad
 * Moses Glyn Jones - Y Ffynnon Fyw
 * T. Llew Jones - Barti Ddu
 * Judith Maro - Atgofion Haganah
 * Caradog Prichard - Afal Drwg Adda
 * Gomer M. Roberts - Cloc y Capel

New drama

 * Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Harris

Music

 * 23 November - Max Boyce records his legendary Live at Treorchy show at Treorchy Rugby Club.
 * Karl Jenkins' first album with Soft Machine, Six, wins the Melody Maker British Jazz Album of the Year award. Jenkins also wins the miscellaneous musical instrument award.
 * Grace Williams - Ave Maris Stella and Fairest of Stars

Visual arts

 * Ivor Roberts-Jones - Statue of Winston Churchill, Parliament Square, unveiled on 1 November by Lady Churchill.

Welsh-language films

 * None

English-language films

 * Holiday on the Buses filmed on location at Pontins holiday camp, Prestatyn

Broadcasting

 * The Labour Party publishes a study arguing that independent television arrangements in the UK are causing non Welsh-speaking residents to lose their Welsh identity.

Welsh-language television

 * Youth music programme Disc a Dawn ends its six-year run, to be replaced the following year by Gwerin 74, a folk music show.

English-language television

 * Fish (with John Ogwen)
 * Hang out your Brightest Colours, controversial documentary by Kenneth Griffith
 * Philip Madoc makes a memorable appearance as a U-boat captain in Dad's Army.

Sport

 * Athletics – Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club wins the British Athletics League Championship for the second time.
 * Cycling – The Welsh Cycling Union is formed.
 * Horse racing – Geoff Lewis wins both the Epsom Oaks and the 1,000 Guineas on "Mysterious".
 * Rugby union – Japan plays its first rugby match in Europe at Penygraig in the Rhondda Valley.
 * Snooker – Ray Reardon wins his second World Championship title.
 * Berwyn Price wins BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

Births

 * 20 January - Stephen Crabb, politician (born in Scotland)
 * 15 February - Adrian Lewis Morgan, actor
 * 27 February - Mark Taylor, rugby union player and manager
 * 24 April - Gabby Logan, television presenter
 * 3 May - Jamie Baulch, athlete (born in Nottingham)
 * 10 May - Ryan Nicholls, footballer
 * 29 May - Lee Jones, footballer
 * 4 July - Bradley Dredge, golfer
 * 6 August - Donna Lewis, singer
 * 22 August - Lee Dainton, skateboarder
 * 17 September – Jason Mohammad, radio and television sports presenter
 * 6 October - Ioan Gruffudd, actor
 * 9 October - Sian Evans, singer
 * 3 November - Mark Evans, comedy scriptwriter
 * 29 November - Ryan Giggs, footballer
 * 25 December - Ewen MacIntosh, comic actor (died 2024)

Deaths

 * 8 January - Sir David Hughes Parry, professor of law and university administrator, 80
 * 11 January - Vernon Morris, cricketer, 78
 * 30 January - Trystan Edwards, architectural critic, town planner and amateur cartographer, 88
 * 12 March - Willie Llewellyn, Wales international rugby player, 94
 * 19 March - Sir Clement Price Thomas, surgeon, 79
 * 23 May - Kenneth Allott, poet and critic
 * 29 July - Guy Morgan, rugby player, 65
 * 9 August - Donald Peers, singer, 66
 * 11 August
 * Johnnie Clay, Test cricketer, 75
 * Gil Morgan, rugby league player, 65
 * 17 August - Elena Puw Morgan, novelist, 73
 * 21 September - C. H. Dodd, theologian, 89
 * 8 October - Evan Tom Davies, mathematician, 69
 * 3 November - Melville Richards, academic, 63
 * 4 November - Billy Williams, dual-code international rugby player, 67
 * 16 November - Dai Hiddlestone, Wales international rugby player, 83
 * 24 November - Brigadier Hugh Llewellyn Glyn Hughes, soldier and medical administrator, 81
 * 28 November - Anne Griffith-Jones, educationist, 83 (in Malaysia)
 * date unknown - Morris Meredith Williams, painter and illustrator