1990 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1990 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

 * Secretary of State for Wales – Peter Walker (until 4 May); David Hunt
 * Archbishop of Wales – George Noakes, Bishop of St David's
 * Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
 * Deudraeth (outgoing)
 * Ap Llysor (incoming)

Events

 * 26 February - The sea wall at Towyn is breached, resulting in flood damage to 2,800 homes, and the evacuation of a further 2,000.
 * 10 June - Death of John Evans, Britain's oldest man whose age (112 years and 295 days) could be authenticated.
 * 2 August - Highest ever temperature recorded in Wales until 2022, 35.2 °C (95.4 °F) at Hawarden.
 * 27 September - Brymbo Steelworks last tapped.
 * 1 November - Veteran Conservative politician Sir Geoffrey Howe resigns from the government.
 * December - Privatisation of the former South Wales Electricity Board (SWEB) and Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB).
 * 21 December - Last underground shift worked at Mardy Colliery.
 * date unknown - Following a referendum, the Vaynor Community Council in Merthyr Tydfil is abolished, the first time such an action has taken place.

Arts and literature

 * Commercial sponsorship of the National Eisteddfod of Wales exceeds £1 million for the first time ever.
 * Griffith R. Williams of Llithfaen, Gwynedd, publishes his autobiography, Cofio canrif, making him the world's oldest author at 102.
 * Geraint Talfan Davies becomes Controller of BBC Wales.

Awards

 * National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Rhymney Valley)
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Myrddin ap Dafydd, "Gwythiennau"
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Iwan Llwyd, "Gwreichion"
 * National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld
 * Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Geraint V. Jones, Yn y Gwaed

New books

 * John Barnie - The King of Ashes
 * Carol-Ann Courtney - Morphine and Dolly Mixtures
 * Rees Davies - Conquest and Domination
 * Christine Evans - Cometary Phases
 * David Jones - Rebecca's Children
 * David H. Williams (Welsh Historian) - Atlas of Cistercian Lands in Wales
 * Raymond Williams - People of the Black Mountains, vol. 2: The Eggs of the Eagle

Welsh language

 * Sioned Davies - Pedair Keinc y Mabinogi
 * Hywel Teifi Edwards - Codi'r Hen Wlad yn ei Hôl
 * Alun Jones - Plentyn y Bwtias
 * Dic Jones - Os Hoffech Wybod
 * R. Gerallt Jones - Cerddi 1955-1989
 * Gwyneth Lewis - Sonedau Redsa A Cherddi Eraill
 * Selyf Roberts - Gorwel Agos

Music

 * Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion - Sgwarnogod Bach Bob
 * Datblygu - Pyst
 * Dave Edmunds - Closer to the Flame
 * Hanner Pei - Locsyn
 * Siân James - Cysgodion Karma
 * Jeffrey Lewis - Westminster Mass
 * Manic Street Preachers - "New Art Riot"
 * World Party - Goodbye Jumbo

Film

 * Catherine Zeta-Jones plays her first major film role in 1001 Nights

Welsh-language films

 * Chwedl Nadolig
 * Nel
 * O.M.

Welsh-language television

 * The Broadcasting Act 1990 redefines the responsibilities of S4C.
 * Programmes:
 * Tydi Bywyd yn Boen

English-language television

 * Hughezovka (documentary about John Hughes, founder of Donetsk)

Sport

 * BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Ian Woosnam
 * Football – Hereford United win the Welsh Cup, but Wrexham, as the top Welsh club, take their place in European competition.
 * Horse racing – Norton's Coin, trained by Sirrel Griffiths at Nantgaredig, wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup at record odds of 100-1.

Births

 * 10 March - Luke Rowe, cyclist
 * 14 March – Joe Allen, footballer
 * 1 April – Joe Partington, footballer
 * 17 April – Jonathan Brown, footballer
 * 19 August – Laura Deas, skeleton racer
 * 17 September – Jazmin Carlin, swimmer
 * 16 October - Natalie Powell, judoka
 * 23 October - Sian Williams, rugby player
 * 14 November – Casey Thomas, footballer
 * 22 November - Steffan Jones, rugby player
 * 26 December – Aaron Ramsey, footballer

Deaths

 * 4 January – Alwyn Sheppard Fidler, architect, 80
 * 20 January – Trevor Every, cricketer, 80
 * 2 February – Joe Erskine, boxer, 56
 * 12 March – Alf Sherwood, footballer, 66
 * 13 March – Llewellyn Heycock, Baron Heycock, politician, 84
 * 25 March – David Evans, cricketer and umpire, 56
 * 2 April – Peter Jones, radio commentator, 60
 * 4 May – John Ormond, poet and film-maker, 67
 * 9 June – Angus McBean, photographer, 86
 * 10 June – John Evans, world's oldest man at the time, 112
 * 17 June – Menna Gallie, writer
 * 24 June – Sean Hughes, politician of Welsh parentage, 44 (cancer)
 * 7 July – Idwal Davies, rugby player, 74
 * 6 September – Jack Howells, film-maker, 77
 * 29 October – Emrys Roberts, politician, 80
 * 1 November – Jack Petersen, former British heavyweight boxing champion, 79
 * 8 November – Ned Jenkins, Wales international rugby player, 86
 * 13 November – Richard Lewis, operatic tenor, 76
 * 22 November – Cliff Jones, Wales international rugby captain, 76
 * 23 November – Roald Dahl, Cardiff-born children's writer, 74
 * 27 November – Cliff Jones, rugby player, 76
 * 5 December – Eric Whitman, cricketer, 81
 * 23 December – Gwilym Williams, former Archbishop of Wales, 77
 * 24 December
 * Don Dearson, footballer, 76
 * David Gwyn Williams, poet, novelist, translator and academic, 86
 * date unknown – Cliff Birch, footballer