Politics

Richard Curran: From Trump to Le Pen – five reasons why 2025 could be a whole lot better than we think

I am not normally superstitious, but I confess to having a slightly irrational thing about the numbers in a given year. I have found that a year with an even number or one that ends in 5 somehow ends up being a better year. I was born, got married, got my first job and my first car in even numbered years. The Irish football team had three World Cups in even-numbered years – 1990, 1994 and 2002. Even the summers seem to be better in even years or those ending in 5 – look at 1976, 1995, 2006 and 2018.

I am not normally superstitious, but I confess to having a slightly irrational thing about the numbers in a given year. I have found that a year with an even number or one that ends in 5 somehow ends up being a better year. I was born, got married, got my first job and my first car in even numbered years.

The Irish football team had three World Cups in even-numbered years – 1990, 1994 and 2002. Even the summers seem to be better in even years or those ending in 5 – look at 1976, 1995, 2006 and 2018. Yet as we head into 2025, there is an enormous sense of uncertainty and risk, both in Ireland with the economy and around the world with just about everything.

Optimism is in short supply..