1976 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1976 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Secretary of State for Wales – John Morris
 * Archbishop of Wales – Gwilym Williams, Bishop of Bangor
 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Bryn

Events

 * 9 February - The Prince of Wales (now Charles III) becomes commander of HMS Bronington.
 * 17 February - Operation Julie is launched; it eventually results in the break-up of one of the largest LSD manufacturing operations in the world.
 * March - The Welsh Regional Office of the European Community opens in Cardiff.
 * June–September - 1976 United Kingdom heat wave: A very hot summer brings a major drought with water shortages.
 * July - Miners’ leader Dai Francis challenges the Prince of Wales (now Charles III), in the election for Chancellor of the University of Wales.
 * 25 July - Former Submarine Commander Neil Rutherford, DSC & Bar, murders four people at the Red Gables Hotel in Penmaenmawr.
 * 4 October - The InterCity 125 high speed train runs for the first time between Swansea railway station and London Paddington.
 * 7 December - Swansea-born former fashion model Lilian Davies marries Prince Bertil of Sweden at Drottningholm Palace after a 30-year relationship.
 * date unknown - David Emanuel marries Elizabeth Weiner.

Arts and literature

 * May 27 - Actor Stanley Baker is given a knighthood in the Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, a few months before his death.
 * August - Dic Jones loses the National Eisteddfod chair on a technicality.
 * October - Mistar Urdd is created by Wynne Melville Jones.
 * unknown date - Griff Rhys Jones becomes Vice-President of the Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardigan)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Alan Llwyd
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Alan Llwyd
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Marged Prichard

English language

 * Ruth Bidgood - Not Without Homage
 * Glyn Davies - Overseas Investment In Wales
 * Kenneth O. Morgan - Keir Hardie
 * Bernice Rubens - I Sent a Letter to My Love

Welsh language

 * John Emyr - Enaid Clwyfus
 * Alun Llywelyn-Williams - Gwanwyn yn y Ddinas
 * Owain Owain - Y Dydd Olaf

Poetry

 * J. M. Edwards - Cerddi Ddoe a Heddiw - Egin
 * Donald Evans
 * Geraint Jarman - Cerddi Alfred Street
 * Gwilym R. Jones - Y Syrcas a Cherddi Eraill

New drama

 * John Gwilym Jones - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif

Music

 * Edward H. Dafis - 'Sneb yn Becso Dam
 * Alun Hoddinott - Murder the Magician (opera)
 * Dafydd Iwan - Mae'r Darnau yn Disgyn i'w Lle (album)
 * Geraint Jarman - Gobaith Mawr y Ganrif (album)
 * Daniel Jones - Dance Fantasy
 * Man - The Welsh Connection
 * Bonnie Tyler - "Lost in France" (debut single)

Welsh-language films

 * Y Dieithryn, produced by Emlyn Williams

Broadcasting

 * Sir Huw Wheldon is knighted for his services to broadcasting.

Welsh-language television

 * Seren Wib, presented by Emyr Glasnant and Sharon Morgan

Welsh language radio

 * Tros Fy Sbectol

English-language television

 * How Green Was My Father: a Welsh Odyssey for 1976, with Ryan Davies and Max Boyce

Sport

 * Football – The Wales national football team plays in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 1976.
 * BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Mervyn Davies and the Wales national rugby union team.
 * Rugby union – Wales win their seventh Grand Slam.
 * Snooker
 * 30 January – Ray Reardon wins the Masters.
 * 23 April – Ray Reardon wins his fifth World Championship title.

Births

 * 14 January - Scott Young, footballer
 * 6 April - James Fox, singer
 * 8 May - Ian Watkins, pop singer
 * 13 May - Mark Delaney, footballer
 * 16 June - Cian Ciaran, musician
 * 25 June - Iestyn Harris, rugby player
 * 14 July - Geraint Jones, cricketer
 * 9 August - Aled Haydn-Jones, radio producer
 * 1 November - Buffy Williams, politician
 * 7 November - Andrew Davies, cricketer
 * 20 December – Adam Powell, inventor
 * date unknown - Steffan Cravos, musician and language activist

Deaths

 * 3 January – Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger, 40 (shot)
 * 23 January – Sir Tudor Thomas, ophthalmic surgeon, 82
 * 26 January – Eric Francis, architect, 88
 * 4 February – Roger Livesey, actor, 69
 * 12 February – John Lewis, Marxist philosopher, 87
 * 14 February - Tommy Scourfield, dual code rugby player, 66
 * 29 March - Harold Davie, rugby player, 77
 * 26 March - Duster Bennett, blues musician, 29 (car accident)
 * 30 March - Jackie Mittell, footballer, 70
 * 31 March - Billy Moore, rugby player, 66
 * 18 April – Haydn Davies, politician, 70
 * 28 April – Richard Hughes, novelist, 76
 * 6 June – David Jacobs, athlete, 88
 * 20 June – Sir Goronwy Edwards, historian, 84
 * 28 June – Sir Stanley Baker, actor, 48
 * 18 July – Jenkin Alban Davies, Wales international rugby captain, 90
 * 22 July – Willie Evans, Welsh international footballer, 63
 * 30 August - David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, politician, 72
 * 10 October - David Lewis, 1st Baron Brecon, politician, 71
 * 7 November - Glyn Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 49
 * 22 November - Rupert Davies, actor, 60 (cancer)
 * 24 November - Ambrose Baker, rugby player, ?79
 * date unknown
 * Eveline Annie Jenkins, botanical artist, 82/83
 * Meirion Williams, songwriter