December 26

  • 2004 An earthquake and tsunami with its epicentre off northern Sumatra, Indonesia, killed an estimated 227,898 in fourteen countries. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.
  • 1591 Red Hugh O’Donnell and Henry and Art O’Neill escaped from Dublin Castle and were subsequently rescued in the Dublin mountains by Fiach MacHugh O’Byrne. Art O’Neill died of exposure but O’Donnell returned safely to Donegal.
  • 1972 Harry S. Truman (88), 33rd US president (1945–53), whose motto was ‘The buck stops here’, died.