Country Living with Francis Farragher

2024 is now upon us and when the witching hour arrived on Sunday night last, most of us probably had a little peep ahead to what lies in store for the New Year. For some it can be a time of trepidation . . . for others the turning over of a new page in the great book of life. Here goes with part two of the ’24 ‘very amateur’ alphabetical guide to what might lie ahead.

M  is for all those mechanics of this world who will keep our vehicles going and get them restarted during times of crisis. To this day, I remember lads at school who weren’t considered to be very academic but who turned out to be absolute wizards in terms of being able to fix things while plodders like myself even struggled to find where the screwdrivers, hammer or set of spanners were left.

N  is for not being afraid to say no to things that you cannot do, either because of time or other priorities in our lives. There are times when we all take on a bit too much, leaving legacies of frustration and feelings of under-achievement. It’s good to keep ‘sensibly busy’ but do up your little list for every day or every week and stick with it. After that, don’t be afraid to say the NO word.

O  is for the Olympic Games of 2024 which take place in Paris from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11 next. Knowing the French, they will, in all probability do the job with great style and panache. The opening ceremony takes place on the banks of the River Seine, a setting which has all the natural ingredients for a spectacular start. Something to look forward to for the summer.

P  just has to be for peace in our world. Okay, it is probably a fantasy aspiration that can never be achieved but the sight of women and babies being slaughtered in places like Gaza day-in, day-out, is more often than not just too difficult to watch on the TV or read in the newspapers. What Hamas did on October 7, 2023, was of course a wanton act of horror but does it justify the killing campaign that has wiped out over 21,000 Palestinians since. I think not.