Compliments of the season, colleagues, and welcome to the final news digest of 2021.

But first some sad news as Dublin flags fly at half-mast to mark the death yesterday of Inchicore-born Thomas Kinsella, former civil servant and one of Ireland's finest modern poets. Here's the one you did in school.

We also have space for some news, if you insist at this time of year: Key-worker derogations from close contact rules are under further consideration, school safety measures are  being kept under review, the HSE has found your stolen data, and An Post Christmas holidays have been squeezed to deal with antigen demand.

And if it's opinion you want, check out ICTU's Laura Bambrick on how the public service could make bereavement a bit easier.

But what you'd probably prefer is some Zen, and we've a double helping today.

So, years ago we interviewed former IMPACT president John Power for the union mag. He cited Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol as his favourite book, and said he read it every year around this time. It was good advice, which I've followed most Christmases since. So, along with the quote above, today's lighter moment features a clip from the 1984 film version of the story, in which George C Scott hams it up over a turkey.

And for good yuletide measure, here's three really cool women with the best not-quite-Christmas song I know.

Much peace and happiness to you and yours, stay safe, and we'll be back with more news next year.

Bernard