Why I saw red with this rude awakening W

I’M still recovering – in the nicest possible way – from our visit to Ireland where all our family were together at Christmas for the first time in 10 years.

The travelling was stressful but everything else was grand, so it was. See? I’m still not over the culture change.

Five grandchildren had all manner of presents and the living room at Siobhan and Ronan’s house disappeared beneath a sea of paper and boxes.

And have you noticed that we expect youngsters to still converse politely an hour after they’ve unwrapped the gift they’ve been anticipating for weeks?

“Ruairi, switch that video game off and talk to your grandad.” “In a minute.” He’s just got the game, for goodness sake. Let him enjoy it.

Donegal is a county of delightful countryside where you’re never far ERE you first in line at the Boxing Day sales? No, me neither. But we did take an early trip into Strabane in Ireland to look for a specific item that was crucial to our needs: an alarm clock.

We needed it to ensure we woke up early enough to set off to Belfast for our flight back to England because I couldn’t work out how to set the alarm on my phone.

Strabane isn’t exactly a metropolis, but it did have a Sports Direct where I had once bought a Manchester United alarm clock. Another one wouldn’t be out of place in our house.

Sadly, they didn’t have one, but Maria said: “Why not get one of these instead?” The clocks she pointed at were Chelsea and Liverpool.

“Look,” she said, pointing to the Liverpool clock. “At least it’s red!” At least it’s red? Good grief, after 50 years together I thought she understood my passion, and here she was suggesting I get an item sporting the emblem of a very deadly enemy.

“We only need it for one night and when we get home you could give it to a Liverpool supporter.”

I dragged her from the store and we went instead to Poundland next door.

Not only did they have a clock in a neutral black, it had been reduced in the sale from £1.99 to £1.49.

A bargain, even if we did have to wait to get served while a couple bought a trolley-load of cut-price Christmas decorations for next year. True! Who could be bothered? Once back at our holiday cottage, we tried the alarm on the clock and I once again attempted to set my phone alarm; from the sea.

On Boxing Day we took a trip down below Donegal Town with the dogs and grandkids for a brilliant and bracing walk on the Wild Atlantic Coast where the beach was almost empty and a lone windsurfer rode the waves as the sun went down.

“Why are you taking so many photographs?” asked five-year-old Jeanie.

“Because memories are made of this,” I said. this time with success.

So we had our early morning call sorted out twice over with both set for six o’clock.

Trouble is, I still worried they might malfunction and kept rising from a very unsatisfactory intermittent slumber every hour to check the time while Maria slept on undisturbed.

I finally dropped off and was awakened by her getting up. “What time is it?” “Half five,” she said. “Did the alarm go off?” “Not yet.” I was in the shower when my phone alarm went off, quickly followed by the clock alarm.

At least I know they work next time we need them.