A New Calendar

The Gregorian calendar and its unjust and unbalanced representation of the amount of time it takes for planet Earth to spin around the sun has long been a bone of contention between the various calendar systems, with there being indecisiveness between the Chinese, Islamic and Hindu systems with what year it actually is. Clearly, the only solution was the formation of a new calendar. Taking inspiration from Caesar Augustus' brave inclusion of a month named directly after himself, the new month inserted should be named 'Jamesuary'.

A new month is feasible if each month is shortened down to 28 days. %here are enough days left over from the end of each month for a new, 13th month of 28 days. (13x28=364) This month would be included to allow an appropriate amount of ego massaging as well as sorting some of the issues with the Gregorian calendar. Jamesuary is placed after August, to be more closely synchronised with summer weather. More cans in the sun are always welcome.

The new 28 day month provides organisational and formatting benefits throughout the year. Every month follows the same pattern, so for example, the first day of every month is always Wednesday. Each month is also more closely aligned with the lunar cycle, which is 29.53 days. The new system will mean that the full moon will appear a little over a day later each month. Dates of importance in the spatial calendar such as the summer and winter solstices as well as the Bohea Stone alignments in spring and autumn have also been mapped. And who doesn't want to be more closely aligned with the space/moon/earth/sun?


It was originally considered that the problem of leap years would disappear off into space, but that has been addressed by the new calendar system. It takes 365.25 days for Earth to complete a full orbit of the sun. Under the new system each year lasts 364 days exactly; the 1.25 days that accumulate every 4 years to give 5 new days (1.25x4=5) should be considered holidays and added in throughout the year. The leap year system will take place on the Gregorian calendar's leap years, allowing alignment between the two systems. All public holidays have been included as well as birthdays of Irish people of interest, including Harry Clarke, Dervla Murphy and Countess Markievicz.


There is a synchronised layout with the Gregorian calendar for the entire year so both can be used simultaneously. For example, the May Day, which is taken on the first Monday of May, will be on the 5th of May on the Gregorian calendar and the 13th of May on the Jamesuary calendar. Christmas day occurs on the 23rd of December and the new version of New Year's Eve, 5 days later on the 28th of December.

Calendars are available to purchase from James Brady from Wednesday the 22nd of January. They cost €7.50 and are limited to 20 editions.