My well-intentioned resolutions for 2016

HAPPY New Year to all readers of this column. It was great to get your feedback during 2015 and even though some of you didn’t always agree with my opinions, in most cases the criticism was constructive. To start off the year, I’m setting out my stall early. Here are my well-intentioned resolutions for 2016.

1. Watch less ‘Tonight With Vincent Browne’. Don’t get me wrong: the man is a broadcasting legend and his Gorse Hill crusade was one of the television highlights of last year. The problem is, the tone of the show is just so damn negative and confrontational that it can keep you awake for hours – and even give you nightmares! A bit of bedtime reading is more conducive to a good night’s sleep than watching some hapless politician being ripped apart by the feared journalist.

2. Buy more newspapers. Yes, I have reluctantly succumbed to the growing trend of accessing my news online and I bought less newspapers last year than ever. But while digital media is exciting and groundbreaking, it is still a poor substitute for reading a printed newspaper or magazine. Gorging on a pile of newspapers strewn across the breakfast table on a Sunday morning is still one of life’s great pleasures and I believe that people of my generation have a duty to ensure the survival of the printed product.

3. Unfollow Gerry Adams on Twitter. It was mildly amusing at first but to see a man who denies ever being in the IRA tweet about his teddy bear has become too much to handle. 

4. Pay my water bill. Well, maybe. I’m firmly in the ‘let’s see what happens’ camp at the moment, awaiting the outcome of the general election before I part with my hard-earned cash. We live in hope.

5. Wage war on dog fouling. This year, I’m planning to take a more proactive approach to tackling this disgusting problem. Using covert surveillance methods and mobile phone footage, the next lazy idiot that lets their dog poo on the grass verge outside my house will get their comeuppance. After cleaning up after their mutts, I will track them back to their homes and leave the filled bags on their doorsteps. I’ll also hand over my recorded evidence to the council. You have been warned!

6. Be more open-minded about country and western music. I got serious flak over my views on this last year so I’m going to make an extra effort in 2016 to be more tolerant of other people’s tastes and musical preferences. I can’t promise anything, though.

7. Be less cynical about politicians. Just when I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, last December’s ‘RTÉ Investigates’ programme cast some councillors in a very unfavourable light. It was a setback for our confidence in Irish politics. But there’s an election coming and along with it an expectation of change. Let’s hear what all the various candidates have to say before casting our votes. There will always be some chancers and cute hoors. This will be your opportunity to root them out.

8. Appreciate our history. The 1916 centenary celebrations will be upon us shortly. This is a timely opportunity to better understand the ideals of those who gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom and assess how far we have come as a country in the intervening 100 years.

I look forward to hearing our readers’ views during 1916. You can contact me directly on t.mccullagh@dublinpeople.com