Home for the holidays

THIS will be Marian Heffernan’s first Christmas at home in three years — and she intends to make the most of it.

The female half of Ireland’s first Olympic married couple, she’s thinking snow-effect lights on the walls of their house and garden in the Cork suburb of Douglas, she’s thinking light-up Santas, she’s thinking reindeer, she’s thinking lots of flashing Christmas lights and a big fat Christmas tree and maybe Rob dressing up as Santa while they’re at it?

Just for the craic, she declares. Rob smiles, but you know that inside he’s groaning.