December 2006 in Britain and Ireland

This page deals with events in most English-speaking places of Europe. These are England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and Gibraltar.

December 31, 2006 (Sunday) The oldest international rugby union stadium in the world, Dublin's Lansdowne Road, hosts its last game before renovation as Leinster defeat Ulster by twenty points to twelve. (RTÉ) (Irish Times) December 27, 2006 (Wednesday) Six people are killed when a Eurocopter AS365N crashes into the Irish Sea. The helicopter was ferrying workers from gas rigs in Morecambe Bay. (BBC) (The Times) December 25, 2006 (Monday) In her Christmas Message, the Queen calls for greater understanding between different generations. (BBC) (Speech in full) December 23, 2006 (Saturday) The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, attacks the Government’s “shortsighted” policy on Iraq as placing Muslims in the Middle East at risk. (BBC) (The Times) December 22, 2006 (Friday) Holiday travellers face chaos as thick fog leads to severe disruption at airports. (BBC) (Wikinews) December 21, 2006 (Thursday) 2006 Ipswich murder investigation: Suffolk police announce that Steven Wright has been charged with all five murders. (Suffolk Constabulary statement) Author J.K. Rowling announces that the final book in her Harry Potter series is to be titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (BBC) (Wikinews) December 20, 2006 (Wednesday) The €752 million, 5-kilometre Dublin Port Tunnel opens almost two years after its originally planned date. (RTÉ) The British Home Office announce plans to require foreign nationals living in Britain to have biometric ID cards. (Guardian Unlimited) December 19, 2006 (Tuesday) 2006 Ipswich murder investigation: Police investigating the murder of five women in Ipswich, Suffolk arrest a second man on suspicion of their murders. (BBC) December 18, 2006 (Monday) 2006 Ipswich murder investigation - Police arrest a 37 year old man in Trimley St. Martin near Felixstowe on suspicion of the murders of five prostitutes. (BBC) (Guardian) December 14, 2006 (Thursday) Operation Paget, the inquiry into the death in 1997 of Diana, Princess of Wales headed by Lord Stevens, a former chief of the Metropolitan Police, concludes that there were no suspicious circumstances and that the fatal car crash in which she died was a 'tragic accident'. (BBC) Prime Minister Tony Blair is interviewed by police investigating cash for honours allegations. (BBC) December 12, 2006 (Tuesday) Detectives in Suffolk are now linking the deaths of five young women whose bodies have been found in recent days in the Ipswich area. (BBC News) December 11, 2006 (Monday) Detectives in Suffolk investigating the murders of two sex workers from Ipswich, reveal the body of a third prostitute has been found and a fourth has now been reported missing. (BBC News) December 9, 2006 (Saturday) Suffolk police launch a double murder hunt after the body of the second of two missing prostitutes is found in a brook near the town of Ipswich. (BBC News) December 7, 2006 (Thursday) Six people are injured and several houses are damaged as a tornado hits the Kensal Rise area of North London. (BBC News) December 3, 2006 (Sunday) A major fire and explosions at a firework factory near Ringmer, East Sussex, kills two members of the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and leaves nine others injured. Emergency services set up a 200 metre exclusion zone around the scene, but are unable to tackle the fire due to continuing explosions and risk from nearby acetylene cylinders. (BBC News)

United Kingdom Portal Ireland Portal << December 2006 >> S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Other events in December 2006 World - Sci-Tech - Sports - Video games - Wikinews Africa - Britain and Ireland - India - Southeast Asia 2006 developments by topic Events Upcoming Ongoing Ipswich murders investigation Litvinenko murder investigation Operation Telic (British military operations in Iraq) International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan 2012 Summer Olympic development Recent Deaths December 30: Antony Lambton 28: Mandy Mitchell-Innes 27: Marmaduke Hussey 26: John Heath-Stubbs 25: John Butcher 23: Charlie Drake 21: Philippa Pearce 21: Sydney Wooderson 18: Denis Carter 18: Mike Dickin 16: John Rae 15: Frank Johnson 14: John Hamilton 12: Charles Stourton 11: Kenneth Cummins 8: Sir Colin Figures 7: Desmond Briscoe 6: Darren "Wiz" Brown 6: Samuel Devons 4: Sir Peter Gadsden 3: Craig Hinton 2: Bob Berry Sport Featured seasons 2006-07 in English football 2006-07 in Scottish football Current sport events 2006-07 Guinness Premiership Upcoming sport events

British and Irish events by month

• 2007 in the United Kingdom: January February March April May June July
• 2006 in the United Kingdom: January February March April May June July August September October November December
• 2005 in the United Kingdom: January February March April May June July August September October November December
• 2004 in the United Kingdom: December

(For earlier events in Britain and Ireland, see November 2004 and preceding months)