Bright sides remembered at Christmas

The country’s president was right to highlight in his Christmas and New Year message the problem of homelessness, not only in Ireland but also abroad, and to recognise that for many, and often for reasons beyond their control, the coming holiday will be far from merry.

The country’s president was right to highlight in his Christmas and New Year message the problem of homelessness, not only in Ireland but also abroad, and to recognise that for many, and often for reasons beyond their control, the coming holiday will be far from merry. 

But it’s also right at this festive time to raise a glass — or possibly two — to celebrate some of the high points that might be overlooked in a year that’s seen the fall-out of the tracker mortgage and McCabe scandals, too many examples of incompetence and complacency in government, transport strikes, and the autumn’s vicious weather.