Bernard O'Shea: Is 36 the best year of your life?

Thirty-six is the age when you might finally get your head out of your ass — but it's so far up there you can see what you had for breakfast

Bernard O'Shea. Photograph Moya Nolan

Thirty-six is the age when you finally get your head out of your ass — but it was so far up there you can see what you had for breakfast.

That’s not just a colourful observation; it’s a socio-psychological fact. So what’s so magical about this number? What ancient sorcery does the number 36 hold that suddenly transforms us from wide-eyed novices of life into enlightened sages of savvy and self-assurance?