DO you remember Smiley’s People? It’s one of the great classic TV series, based on the novels of John LeCarre and starring Alec Guinness as the deep-thinking, slow moving British intelligence officer.

FULL equality for gay, lesbian, and transgender people has been described as the last civil and human rights campaign. I support that proposition.

IN THE course of the children’s rights referendum campaign — on October 31st, 2012, to be exact — I took part in a debate with John Waters and Kathy Sinnott.

I would simply like to pay the highest of compliments to Michael Clifford for his piece last Saturday, (Opinion, February 2), re religion in education — one of the most cogent, succinct and necessary columns seen in any paper for many a long day.

DO you know Ballydehob? It’s a beautiful village, way down in the south west of our country.

I WAS listening to Pat Rabbitte on the radio the other day, talking about pylons. He was convincing and passionate on the subject, and one thing he said struck a chord with me.

DEAR Minister Shatter,

I CAN remember when transparency was a political cliché.

MICHEÁL Martin sent me looking for Edmund Burke, and I’m not grateful. I’ve spent several hours searching Burke’s writings (or as much as I could find online) for one phrase. As great a mind and a philosopher as he was (Burke not Martin), he is no easy read.

WHAT on earth is a decent hard-working witch to do? There I was, ready, as always at this time of the year, to predict the future for all of you, and to ensure that you’d have no surprises throughout 2014.