Happy New Year to You - Part 2!

by | 2023/01/04 | Personal, Opinion

Happy New Year to You - Part 2!

Last week, I was looking back at some of the highlights of 2022. It is now time for us to say goodbye to 2022. Alfred Tennyson said goodbye to the old year like this:

“Ring out wild bells to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty lights;

The year is dying in the night,

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

It is time for us too to welcome the new year. In the same poem, Tennyson welcomed the new year like this:

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true…”

It is a great poem, written by Tennyson in 1850. In almost every verse, we bid farewell to the bad things that happened in the old year and we welcome the opportunities we will have in the new year to do positive things instead. In this way, the new year is seen as an opportunity for us to make improvements in our lives and in society itself. Isn't that a great idea!

New Year's Resolutions

Around this time I tend to make new year's resolutions, trying to improve myself and do things that have been on the long finger. Years ago, I used to break my resolutions before long. But, gradually, I learned how to formulate realistic resolutions, and then how to implement them. If you are interested in learning more about that approach, I recommend you read this book: 'Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything', written by behavioral scientist BJ Fogg.

In that book, the author advises us to make only small changes at first, but to make them regularly. For example, if I'm trying to get fitter, I might start with a short walk (one kilometer) every day. After a while when I was happy with that, I would go for longer walks every day. I would continue like that, until I was satisfied with the amount of exercise I was doing. If you set out to achieve a big goal at first, it's all too easy to lose heart and give up on the goal.

My New Year's Resolutions

Here are my resolutions regarding the Irish language, because I intend to improve my Irish. The following activities will be carried out through the medium of Irish.

• Listening. I will listen every day – at least half an hour. I have apps on my phone, and I have both live television and radio and podcasts available in Irish.
• Reading. I will read every day – at least half an hour. I already have both e-books and regular books. For example, I recently received the book 'Madame Lazare' from the site siopaleabhar.com, and I intend to read it this year. I also love Tuairisc.ie, and I read at least one or two articles every day.
• Speaking. This is a difficult one, because people (or at least one person) need to be available, who speak Irish. Pop-up Gaeltachts both live and virtual (Zoom) are available and many people like them. Unfortunately, they don't suit me well, and because I'm not comfortable in them so I'm reluctant to say anything. Although my wife and I are reluctant to speak Irish, we will reserve half an hour every week, to speak Irish together.
• Writing. I will continue to write these pieces, for the Kilkenny People, as long as the learned Editor of this great newspaper is willing to give me space, and add to that, that I am now determined to speak out more boldly and forcefully than as I did, up till now. A government reshuffle is in place with Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach and the new Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Patrick O'Sullivan in office. Therefore, I have decided to keep a close eye on language matters, and on political matters, together, in the coming year.
• New website. I will be launching my website in Irish and making this article available online for my readers!

Parting Shot

All I have to do now is to wish you all a very happy New Year, and many happy returns.

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