Dreams and wishes of pupils of Gaelscoil Uí Riada are timeless

No flies on kids these days: An app for tracking Santa, a dram of Smithwick’s to send him on his merry way but BETTER WATCH OUT — thanks to relentless public health messaging, even 8-year-olds now know drink driving is a no-no.

Santa in 2014 ain’t too far removed from the jolly ol’ geezer of yore, but he does have the added pressure of performance measurement — his every move can be tracked on a map via app on Christmas Eve — as flagged by the delightful second class/“Rang a dó” pupils of Gaelscoil Uí Riada in Wilton, Cork City.

Excitement levels during my recent Santa Fact Finding Expedition to the gaelscoil measured approximately 9.5 on the Emotional Contagion Scale. In fact so enthusiastic was the reception that for a fleeting moment, I had a sense of the reverence Daidí na Nollag can justifiably take for granted. Hands waved enthusiastically in response to each and every “ceist” and at one point, a queue even formed where kids whispered their Christmas wishes in my ear. If Mrs Claus ever bails, I’m in.