Richard Hogan: This is why autumn is my favourite time of year

I often think about how much nature meant to me as a child, especially when I'm watching children on their devices today, heads down, missing nature all around them

Richard Hogan. Picture: Moya Nolan

Oh autumn! Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Where the wild wind rides the darkening landscape of yellow and red. Daylight ebbing away, warm evenings by the fire. 

Smoke swirling in little plumes from houses. The sun blazing a little softer. Mornings clearing leaves from the window wipers. The wink and nod to a neighbour brushing golden shards into a bin. I have loved autumn all my life. Ever since I was a young boy walking to school. It was the only antidote to the intolerable dread going back to school provoked. I hated primary school; long hours sitting in a cold prefab, chalk on the boards, lessons about Paul agus Sheila who were constantly ag imirt péile.