Interestingly, it's not included in the rainbow but a hybrid of red and white. It's the new grey, if you will, and all the better for it.

Indeed, until the 1960s all we had in Ireland was contrasts in the form of black and white and the result of their co-mingling, grey. I learned about the introduction of the colour pink from a very informative sketch by Paul Woodfull on the television show, This is Ireland, which was the first place that historical fact was brought to my attention. Well, what a splash pink made. It was embraced by some and feared by others. There were calls from the country's more right-wing leaders to curb its very existence as they felt it was turning the heads of many of Ireland's citizens, particularly the young. It's interesting to note that our weather didn't improve until the 1960s either. Proof of this can be found in the cinematic or televisual footage up to the period which is remorselessly grey.

Until sunshine became a factor of Irish life, all skin was grey too of course, but in the swinging sixties, exposure to the sun coupled with a tremendous lack of sunscreen turned the Irish nation pink.

The lore and lure of pink stretches through generations. It may seem a cliche but most little girls I know love the colour pink and are entirely happy that it should represent them. I have asked many parents why they think their daughters veer towards the colour and none have any coherent explanation. I am not suggesting for one moment that boys don't love the colour pink also but adults do tend to favour blue for them in some misguided sop to tradition. As always, I blame the parents and that's not a bad rule of thumb generally. I like to rattle parents early to prepare them for what will certainly happen when their progeny grow up and do this for themselves. It's my version of tough love.

Pink is the most useful of colours too.

The 'pink pound' is an immediately recognisable economic term, identifying the vast population of gay men with disposable incomes. Pink has also become an important colour for metrosexual men. My own husband looks great in it and in fact does pass for fully gay from time to time, which delights me, I must say. On a normal day, he is that most important of things, Just Gay Enough. Any woman I know wants a husband of that variety. They brighten up a home in every way. In more general terms, a man who wears pink is a confident man and a pleasure to be in company with, as well as great to look at. There isn't a person on this earth, surely, who isn't 'pretty in pink' as the saying goes. Come to think of it, we are considered well or successful when we are said to be 'in the pink'.

Politically, pink should be used more.

It's a wonder to me that it's not.

Goodness knows politicians will usually employ any means to attract attention or get a vote. As I have explained, it's not a pure rainbow colour and so can be perceived as less dogmatic or emphatic. This may be something for our politicians to remember when planning coalitions. Red, for instance, is traditionally associated with Communism or the Left Wing. But for those who would prefer a more smoked salmon-based style of rule, surely pink is the answer? In the UK, hard-line Old Labour supporters might prefer that Tony Blair use pink rather than red for what they see as his brand of Labourlite. Come to think of it, he'd look wonderful in a pink shirt, though mindful of Bertie Ahern's canary yellow jacket and clashing trousers fashion disaster, he should bear in mind that tone is everything.

Joan Rivers recently declared that all smart women should wear pink as it reminds men of the nipple. It's an interesting point of view. So the next time you see me draped in pink you'll know that I am simply keeping abreast of things.