It will come as no shock to anyone who knows me that my hero is HH The 14th Dalai Lama. My respect and even fondness for him doesn’t stem from idol worship of a reincarnated Buddha, but for a man who has endured serious hardship and still manages to promote compassion and mindfulness; while maintaining a curiosity as sharp as an infant’s and a sense of humour that is wildly contagious. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and has been commended far and wide as an environmentalist (before being Green meant anything more than changing colour or having a jealous streak). Thanks to a surprise gift from my Ban Chéile I had the great pleasure of sitting in the audience when the Dalai Lama visited Ireland in 2011 (see the pic above). All of the characteristics of…