Energetic start to January

Maybe it really was all about welcoming the new year or perhaps it was more of a glad good riddance to the old one, but whatever the reason for the mood around the country over the last 48 hours, it was certainly celebratory.

Whether braving the waves for the many New Year’s Day swims or braving the crowds for the continuing sales, the appetite for getting up and about and making an energetic start to 2013 was a healthy one.

Despite the late, loud, and lavish night in Dublin where a combination of the launch of the Gathering and the official start of Ireland’s presidency of the EU gave the city double reason to party on new year’s eve, the festivities continued yesterday with a Big Brunch family event in the city centre.

The free event, centred in Temple Bar, had kids old and young taking to the streets for face-painting, balloon modelling, puppetry, and music followed by a céilí and vintage tea dance.

Elsewhere, thousands of hardy souls took part in swims, paddles, and splashes, bringing some warm-hearted cheer to local charities through their cold-limbed labour.

It wasn’t even essential to have a coastline — the people of Millstreet, Co Cork, had their preparations under way for the annual dip in the Blackwater River, but heavy rainfall meant the event had to be postponed to next Sunday.

Earlier in Millstreet, as in towns from Dingle to Dún Laoghaire to Derry, the new year had been seen in with music, pageantry, fireworks, and general good humour as community groups organised events to mark the occasion.

For soon-to-depart emigrants, the festivities provided a chance to collect some final happy snaps and memories to bring with them on their return to homes and workplaces abroad, while for the families of those already packed and left, the gatherings provided camaraderie to ease them through the lonely days ahead.

Munster in particular embraced the countdown to 2013 in style, with Dingle, Killarney, Tralee, and Mallow among the towns lighting up the night skies with fireworks displays as the clock struck midnight.

In Cork, hotels and pubs pushed the boat out this year with a huge choice of black-tie balls, theme parties, and live music performances to get the new year’s party started, and for those whose heads could take the pounding, a 21-gun salute on Spike Island yesterday afternoon marked the official start of the county’s participation in the Gathering.

Kilkenny, meanwhile, was taking on a mardi gras theme, with a parade of floats through Castlecomer, accompanied by street entertainment and a 5km road race — with runners in wellies.

Elsewhere, the emphasis was on more conventional sports with local running groups, cycling clubs, and hillwalkers all putting their best feet forward into the new year by gathering for symbolic fresh start outings.