Epic encounters: Sport casts sunny spells

NOW that our so-called summer has come and gone, there may not seem much to light up our lives between now and winter time. Do not despair. Even if the weather is as bad this month as last, an array of spectator sports will bring a little internal sunshine.

Sport is the ultimate triumph of hope over experience and, perhaps, explains why we in Ireland remain eternal optimists.

We tend not to carry umbrellas or raincoats even when the forecast is dismal. During the depths of the recession we showed resilience and looked forward to renewed prosperity while other EU nations succumbed to despair.