1977 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1977 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

 * 6 January - Roy Jenkins becomes President of the European Commission.
 * 26 March - Operation Julie results in the break-up of a drugs ring centred on Llanddewi Brefi and the recovery of 1.5 kg of LSD.
 * date unknown
 * The Welsh Health Common Services Authority is created.
 * Moss Evans is elected leader of the Transport and General Workers Union.
 * Mount Stuart Primary School, Cardiff, appoints Betty Campbell, the first black female head teacher in Wales
 * Opening of the bilingual secondary school, Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern, on Anglesey.

Awards

 * Ian Parrott receives the John Edwards Memorial Award from the Guild for the Promotion of Welsh Music.
 * Jonathan Pryce wins a Tony award for his performance on Broadway in The Comedians.
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Wrexham)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Donald Evans
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Donald Evans
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Robert Gerallt Jones
 * Wales Book of the Year (Welsh language) - Owain Owain, Mical, (Gwasg Gomer)

English language

 * Alice Thomas Ellis - The Sin Eater
 * Paul Ferris - Dylan Thomas: The Biography
 * Raymond Garlick - Incense
 * Ellis Peters - A Morbid Taste for Bones (first in the Brother Cadfael series of novels)
 * Craig Thomas - Firefox
 * Gwyn Alf Williams - Goya and the Impossible Revolution

Welsh language

 * Käte Bosse-Griffiths - Byd y Dyn Hysbys
 * Zonia Bowen - Llydaweg i'r Cymro
 * Jane Edwards - Dros Fryniau Bro Afallon
 * Donald Evans - Egin
 * Owain Owain - Mical
 * R. J. Rowlands - Cerddi R. J. Rowlands y Bala
 * Gwyn Thomas - Cadwynau yn y Meddwl

Music

 * Injaroc - Halen Y Ddaear
 * Dafydd Iwan - Carlo a Chaneuon Eraill, I'r Gad
 * Punk rock band The Toilets is formed in Rhyl, predecessor of The Alarm.

Film

 * Richard Burton receives his sixth Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his role in Equus.

Welsh-language radio

 * 3 January - BBC Radio Cymru begins broadcasting.

Welsh-language television

 * Glas Y Dorlan (sitcom)

English-language television

 * Kilvert's Diary

Architecture

 * Castell Gyrn (Denbighshire) is built by John Taylor of Chapman Taylor architects for himself.

Sport

 * Athletics - The first UK Athletics Championships are held at Cwmbran.
 * BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Phil Bennett
 * Billiards - Clive Everton reaches the semi-finals of the World Championship.
 * Boxing - Johnny Owen wins the British bantamweight title.
 * Darts - Wales wins the Home International Series and the first Darts World Cup.
 * Fencing - Wales wins the Quadrangular Tournament.
 * Greyhound racing - Cardiff Greyhounds closes and the Welsh Greyhound Derby is run for the last time.
 * Rugby union - Wales win the Triple Crown.
 * Long-distance swimming - David Jones of Port Talbot becomes the first Welshman to swim the Bristol Channel.
 * Formation of the Welsh Hang Gliding Association and the Welsh Federation of Coarse Anglers.
 * Snooker - Doug Mountjoy wins the Masters, defeating Ray Reardon in an all-Welsh final.

Births

 * 3 February - Mike Powell, cricketer
 * 26 February - Shane Williams, rugby player
 * 4 March - Gareth Wyatt, rugby player
 * 16 March - Steve Jones, TV presenter
 * 18 March - Alex Jones, TV presenter
 * 10 April - David Phelps, sport shooter
 * 12 April - Jason Price, footballer
 * 20 April - Robert Wilfort, actor
 * 27 April - Edward Elwyn Jones, organist and conductor
 * 30 April - Robert Evans, playwright
 * 11 September
 * Jonny Buckland, English-born musician
 * Matthew Stevens, snooker player
 * 18 November - Deiniol Jones, rugby player

Deaths

 * 10 February - Grace Williams, composer, 70
 * 11 February - Thomas Ifor Rees, diplomat, 86
 * 22 February - Hubert William Lewis, Victoria Cross recipient, 80
 * 5 March - Tom Pryce, Formula One racing driver, 27
 * 20 March - Glyn Gething, rugby player, 84
 * 25 March - Aubrey Williams, army officer, 88
 * 30 March - Sir William Emrys Williams, 80
 * 5 April - Meirion Thomas, botanist and plant physiologist, 82
 * 18 April - Irene Steer, Olympic swimmer, 87
 * 22 April - Ryan Davies, entertainer, 40
 * 27 May - Jac L Williams, educationist
 * 12 June - Ronnie James, British champion boxer, 59
 * 27 June - Bert Day, Wales international rugby union player, 69
 * 26 July - Sir Ben Bowen Thomas, civil servant and academic, 78
 * 10 August - Watcyn Thomas, rugby player, 71
 * 16 August - (at Colchester) Hugh Iorys Hughes, engineer, 75
 * 27 September - Llewelyn Wyn Griffith, author of Up to Mametz, 87
 * 1 November - Jim Sullivan, rugby league player, 73
 * 11 December - Neil Williams, Canadian-born aerobatics pilot, 33
 * date unknown - Cecil Smith, footballer