Whether it be on the sporting field or away from it, each year brings with it it's fair share of ups and downs. This year, in a particular, was a hangover of sorts for Irish sport after the excitement of Euro 2012, the Olympics and whatnot last year. Thankfully there were still some great characters out there who provided some relief from the mundane and the underwhelming.
So here, we celebrate the characters who brought us through the hard days, and made the good days even more enjoyable:
Simon Zebo
2013 will not be remembered as a great year for Irish rugby. For once, our provinces were nowhere to be seen on the day of the Heineken Cup final, we had the whole BOD debacle with the Lions and barring the New Zealand match, the Irish team provided few moments of greatness as they limped through their Six Nations campaign.
However things started off brilliantly when we beat Wales in Cardiff, thanks in no small part to Mr Simon Zebo. The Munster winger didn't take long in showing us what he was all about.
When we came across that video Zebo was already away with the British and Irish Lions, setting about entertaining us again.
Here's to a great, Zebo filled 2014.
Roy Keane
It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times for the Irish football team these year as we continued our downward spiral after Euro 2012. However the autumn brought with it a change not just in the weather but also in the international climate as Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane became the new management dream team.
Just a few weeks previously, Roy had found himself in the headlines again due to the comments by Sir Alex Ferguson in his autobiography. The Corkman wasn't having any of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXVMVPd-Ab0
As the new Irish assistant manager, we awaited his first press conference with abated breath. What we were greeted with was a much more mellow man compared to the caricature many had imagined.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FFYu3CSk5Y
In fact, we even got a glimpse of Roy the comedian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lchAVz9dLUw
Indeed, the second half of 2013 gave us more Roy than we could have imagined. Just last week he was back on our screens with Paddy V, giving out stink to the Frenchman for not agreeing to put Denis Irwin into their dream Man Utd/Arsenal XI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXhIn6Xjhz0
Some have warmed to Keano this year while others will never forgive him but there's no denying that when he speaks we all listen.
Davy Fitzgerald
There were a lot of people out there who gave Davy Fitz a lot of stick this year and predicted that there wasn't a cat's chance in hell he'd make this end of year Balls list but he's only gone an done it so it he has. And he's delighted about it so he is.
There were a lot of heroes in a wonderful hurling championship this year but none moreso than the eccentric All Ireland winning manager.
The Clareman taught us a lot over the course of the championship. We learned that the secret to success in life is MiWadi and biscuits.
Last but not least, we discovered musical greatness when Davy and Roy Keane came together to sing a cover of Queen's Under Pressure.
2013 was certainly the year of the Davy and while we sometimes get bogged down in the every day struggles of living in a country with billions of debt, tax hikes, dole cuts, job losses, price increases and a cynical football, Mr Fitzgerald reassured us that everything is OK now that Clare have won the Liam McCarthy Cup.
Thank God for that.
