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.

OF course this is the busiest time of the year, up here at the North Pole. There are reindeer to be fed and watered, their harnesses polished so they gleam.

THIS weekend, justice was done. Sam Bailey won X Factor, Munster had a thrilling, last-gasp victory over Perpignan to keep Heineken Cup hopes alive, and we exited the bail-out, heads held high. All in all, highly satisfying.