HERE we are, hung like a drunk in a hammock between Christmas and New Year. If you head down to the shopping centre, you’ll meet lost souls like yourself, half-crazy to get clear of the suffocating warmth of family life. Maybe Chris Rea knew a thing or two with his ‘Driving home for Christmas’: it’s better to travel hopefully than to arrive.  

But hey, that’s Christmas over for another year; time to turn our thoughts to the New Year. How will it stack up compared to the year we’re just endured?

Well, some think it won’t be a hard act to follow. Remember those lovely racist riots all over the North in June? Remember Jim Gavin’s amputated presidential bid? Remember the DUP refusing to send anyone to represent them at the inauguration of President Catherine Connolly?  Ah here – draw a veil over all that, would you? The New Year will surely be kinder to us. 

In March, the Republic of Ireland will be in the World Cup play-offs, and if Troy Parrott scores another hat-trick, expect a gold statue of him outside the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

From the start of July to the end of December 2026, the South will hold the Presidency of the EU Council. This will allow Michéal Martin to pirouette on the European stage and hope the dazzle of it all will result in his party Fianna Fáil forgetting the bags he made of the Irish presidential campaign.  He might even decide next year  to step off-stage as Fianna Fáil leader, given that Jim O’Callaghan is chomping at the bit, and it’s more dignified to jump rather than be pushed. 

In August there’ll be a total eclipse of the sun, which Trump will doubtless claim is due to his economic policies. 

In the same month, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will bring eight days of music and singing to Belfast, along with hundreds of thousands of visitors and confirmation that the city has become a power house of  Irish culture. And the event is expected  to add £60 million to the North’s economy. 

Next September will bring the golfing Ryder Cup to Adare when, with God’s help, the Yanks will have their backsides handed to them in a handcart and Trump will go even madder than he is now. Win or lose, the 5,000 hours of broadcasting on 50 different channels  is expected to net some €100 million for the South’s economy.  

In November, the US’s mid-term elections will be held. The Democrats are hopeful that they’ll score some big wins in the House of Representatives and even in the Senate, but then the Democrats were hopeful that Kamala Harris would wipe the floor with Trump and look what happened there.

And finally there’s the border poll. No, Virginia, it won’t take place in 2026, but the tension will tighten noticeably. Those who favour remaining in the UK are still in the majority in the North; but in 2025 the gap between those favouring continued tethering to the UK and those who favour cutting the knot has halved. The hope that once dared not speak its name is being articulated again and again. Who by? Gerry Adams, of course, but also Leo Varadkar and the new President of Ireland Catherine Connolly.

Encouragingly, an  increasing numbers of Protestants  from a unionist background, such as Ben Collins, Wallace Thompson and Susan McKay, are aware of the way the wind is blowing.  The New Year will see more practical engagement and serious planning. 

Some, like Micheál Martin,  will continue to label such planning as provocative. But then  Micheál is headed for the door marked Exit.  Those who see increased New Ireland talk as stirring the pot clearly haven’t read the Good Friday Agreement. An acceptance of Irish unity is at the beating heart of the Good Friday Agreement. 

Bliain úr faoi mhaise daoibh.