We got discounted kayaking from around the Jeanie Johnston. I had done it in Cork yonks ago and the feeling of completely swapping one’s view of the city came back to me

Demonstrations, workshops, and a chance to see clacking, grunting machines in action. There were printers, artists, and enthusiasts, all wanting to keep the old skills alive

Kitchen appliance failures are like bankruptcy — they happen gradually, then suddenly

So much newness. So much possibility. I am surely setting myself up for disappointment. There’s always October, I suppose

Things like medieval church building or guessing who the bad guy is. The bad guys are truly very bad indeed. But eventually they get their comeuppance. Which makes for a great read

It was such a strange and moving experience for many reasons. Some things were recognisable. Trying to figure out when to meet up with friends was like being at a music festival. We’re all going to the main stage. The hardiness of children in 29-degree heat dictated where you ended up watching

A few bits of good news. I had to go looking for them. The bad news will find you all by itself

When a drought is over, it’s good for us. It frees up a bit of brain that we didn’t know we’d devoted to wondering if Mayo would ever win an All-Ireland

If they are wondering which ones to remake, can I recommend a rule of thumb — did it feature in the Folens primary school readers from the 1980s?

You notice it in small things first. The casual planning of outdoor family gatherings more than an hour in advance. There is less stupid sunburn. The particularly Irish sunburn, the kind that arrives after 20 minutes of 'I’ll be grand'