It was suggested that Michelle feared she would be quieried about her Olympic successes and the controversy.

Why should a woman who brought such huge joy to the country subject herself to further scrutiny on a rubbishy show like that? Good on you, Michelle, and hope you do well in the event!

And when, I wonder, will the rampant publicity campaign of model Katy French finally draw to a close. It is impossible to pick up a paper without either seeing her picture or reading about her.

And speaking of papers… is my sense of news worthiness fading? An estimated 4,000 people took to the streets of Limerick last Saturday and not one word appeared about the matter on either the ‘Sunday Independent’ or ‘Sunday Tribune’, the two papers I purchased at the weekend.

Ignorance is a terrible thing. Anne Enright won the Man Booker award last week. I wonder could some of my literary friends enlighten me as to why it is called the Man Booker award.

And all the more so when the winner of the ‘man’ award is a woman!

I presume there is an obvious explanation. I have always maintained that cycling a bike is simple for those who can cycle.

But when you are ignorant like me all I can do is plead to be educated!

I heard a lady on radio recently wondering what could be done to have the result of an inquest into the death of her late husband altered. The death certificate simply stated that the man died by ‘hanging’.

I do not intend to get into the pros and cons of that sad situation. But I hold the view that when a person dies as a result of drugs, or alcohol, that this should be stated on a death certificate.

How often have we read where a person dies from a whole variety of causes many of which were brought on by drug and alcohol abuse.

By stating the cause of death as being drugs or alcohol it would play a huge part in highlighting the effects of drinking and using drugs to excess.