The first cut is the deepest

The likelihood of anybody performing the old "sawing an ambassador in half" trick at my funeral diminished slightly today. Some of the wire barriers along the Naas road are being replaced with normal steel barriers - and not before time either!

Naturally a collision with a regular barrier could have serious consequences but even the worst case scenario must be preferable to the tragic fate of this New Zealand biker.

I could go on about the number of countries that have outlawed these barriers or EU concerns about their use but I don't want to make a big hairy deal out of it.

This is good news though. Very good news.

I still can't help thinking that there is something to be said for the idea of a magician and his assistant, dressed in spangled Lycra costumes, theatrically pulling both halves of my coffin apart and spinning them around before an open-mouthed cortege of mourners.

Ta dah!