Learner Dad: The neighbours couldn’t be clearer – we have to go for the Christmas swim 

"The good news is our neighbours are class and I’d love to see them on Christmas Day. The bad news is I went for a well-wrapped up walk on the beach yesterday and nearly arrived home with frostbite."

Picture: iStock 

I’m not sure about going for a Christmas swim. This was never an issue before, when we lived in the city. I’d see some culchies in Santa hats running into the freezing sea and wonder if they were starved of attention growing up. It never felt like something I’d ever do.

And then we moved to the countryside, a few kilometres west of Ballycotton, and now I’m not so sure. This is the first Christmas in our new home and the neighbours couldn’t be clearer – we have to go down for the Christmas swim.