Ten reasons why I love being ginger.

I am very aware that the non-gingers reading this piece are going to be scratching their heads in confusion as to why someone would love to be ginger.

1. As a child American tourists would stop me and ask to take my photo as I looked like an Irish Cailín (pronounced caw-leeen), which is the typical pasty ginger look associated with Ireland. They would always reward my posing with a pound or two and this added nicely to my pocketmoney. Honestly, for about three years I wore as much green as possible just for this reason! All because I am ginger.

2. There is an element of fear surrounding gingers. This is due to superstition and South Park.

I used to work in a bar where one of the regulars refused to be served by me because of my hair colour. Honestly.

In Connemara there is much superstition about red-heads. If a red-haired woman crosses the path of the fisherman in the morning on their way to their boats they will turn around and go home. A red-haired man on the boat is also believed to attract the attention of the fairies.

3. It is cool having a hair colour that has its own personality. People see red hair and they think fiery personality. If I get mad, which I do sometimes but not often, I know people attribute my temper to my hair colour rather than me have an emotional unstable moment. Hair, for this I love you.

4. We have some wonderful, witty songs written about us. Have a look on the link to hear Tim Minchin's song Prejudice. I laughed my little ginger pants off when I heard it!

5. One of my favourite local legends involves a ginger woman called Máire Rua (Mary with the red hair).

My uncle lives next to her castle and it is on route to my grandmother's house. I loved listening to all the crazy stuff she did when I was a child. Obviously the story was censored within reason when I heard of it but I loved it!

6. I loved the Weasleys in Harry Potter. I think they did the gingers proud. Except for Percy. He was just a twat. I felt that I could be a Weasley if I wanted to be!

7. I love the moment when someone make a gingerist (can I make up a word for the purpose of this post?) comment and you realise that they have flecks of ginger in their beard... Awkward!

8. I love that some of my favourite shows are fronted by gingers.

CSI Miami anyone?