Happy Christmas, fröhliche Weihnacht, liebe Leserinnen und Leser des Irland-Blogs.

Der erste Weihnachtstag in Irland begann mit Morgensonne, strahlend blauem Himmel und Frost. Doch ab sofort wird es wärmer. Das Tauwetter hat sich vom Süden über den Atlantik auf den Weg zur Insel gemacht. Bereits heute nacht sollen die Temperaturen auf bis zu 5 Grad plus steigen.

Nun ist die Zeit, da wir zur Ruhe kommen, Zeit haben darüber nachzudenken, was das Jahr 2010 uns gebracht hat, was wichtig war, was nur wichtig schien; was kommen mag, was wir gerne kommen sehen würden; wo wir stehen und wo wir in einem Jahr gerne stehen würden. Zeit der persönlichen Inventur.

Die Irish Times hat in Ihrer Weihnachtsausgabe mit einer Inventur für Irland, das Land, begonnen und legte im Magazin den “INDEX 2010” vor , ein Sammelsurium der Höhen und Tiefen, der Dinge, die man und frau im Jahr 2010 bewegten, Objekte der Zu- und Abneigung, der Liebe und des Hasses. Hier ein paar persönliche Vorlieben des Wanderers aus der langen Liste der Times:

Der “INDEX 2010” der Irish Times

Irish sports pundits Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh may have hung up his microphone but we still have the best commentators in the business. You need proof? How about the British tuning in to watch our coverage of the World Cup because they were weary of BBC blandness


Social media What? You don’t do Twitter? Don’t have an iPhone? This year was a tipping point. Thrilling for some, exhausting for others

Talking shops Whether it was Kilkenomics – an unlikely mix of economics and comedy – David McWilliams on the Peacock stage, the Leviathan debates or Enough is Enough, the citizenry is hungry for debate and ideas

Four seasons Sun in summer, snow in winter, with crisp autumn evenings and spring mornings in-between

Staycations We used to travel half-way around the world for scenery that’s not as good as what’s on our doorstep. It took tighter budgets to make us realise that

Indie Irish music Fight Like Apes, Two-Door Cinema Club, Rubberbandits, Villagers – the list goes on

Reclaiming the radio Fleeing the awfulness of much of the TV schedules, we remembered the beauty of the wireless

Foreigners There are still loads of them here, they are much better looking, and the accent still charms them


Thermals Warm? Yes. Sexy? No. But sometimes you have to just use your imagination. People are back to wearing pyjamas with feet in them, for Pete’s sake

Filter coffee Those triangular paper things are back in style

The continuing fecundity of the great German film director Werner Herzog The celebrated Bad Lieutenant and the underrated My Son My Son What Have Ye Done demonstrated that creative madness is still possible in your Werther’s Original years

Ain’t no mountain high enough Friends’ heroic efforts to get home this Christmas. The fighting Irish show their imagination

‘Mistaken’ The new novel from Neil Jordan. No mistaking how good it is

‘Skippy Dies ’ Paul Murray’s book, full of hard work and good writing, evokes a hugely witty and wise picture of contemporary Ireland. It’s now on international bestseller lists

Rubber grippers for the bottom of your shoes The must-have accessory this winter. Help avoid icy falls and aid escape from disaffected teenagers throwing snowballs.

Sane post-Celtic Tiger prices Handed over a tenner for two pints in a pub in Dublin city centre the other day and the barman actually gave me change. Whoa!


‘Freedom’ Jonathan Franzen’s portrait of the disintegration of the American Dream is an engaging read

Year of Craft In 2011 we’ll be celebrating the skill and creativity of Irish craftmakers. Save our textile industry, we say. Buy tweed!

Feeding the birds Cheap and highly entertaining

Claiming our Future The name alone gives us hope. Ditto the National Forum

Community spirit Born in the ice age that rounded off the end of the year and carrying on into the new year, shovel on shoulder, smile on face

Apocalypse Whether in politics, finance, the church, climate or even soaps, the script for 2010 reads like it was lifted directly from the pages of the Book of Revelations. Whatever happened to squabbles, kerfuffles, blips and occasional minor setbacks? Only the latter in 2011, please

Decent wine for €5-€6.99 Dunnes Stores, among others, has great Christmas offers. So what on earth were we paying €12-€15 a bottle for for all those years?

Golf course overload Was no one watching? As they close one by one, how can we reinvent and preserve the green space?

Nuggets and chips on the kids’ menu We’d like them to have what we’re having, please, half the portion, half the price

Bottled water We are back to appreciating having any water at all

Emigration If it gets any worse, we’ll have to start interviewing for new friends


The name of that new stadium We love it, really, but some of us can’t help calling it Lansdowne Road

Den kompletten Index 2010 der Irish Times gibt es hier zu lesen.