We've barely got 2015 started but there's already been plenty of stories to put a smile on your face.

Forget Blue Monday - here's 5 things to be happy about.

Stephanie Roche's appearance at this year's FIFA gala

2014 was a great year for Irish women in sport, with Stephanie Roche's goal for Peamount United taking the world by storm. Last week she appeared alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at FIFA's annual gala in Zurich. Though unlucky to place second, Roche has made history in being the first female finalist in the Puskas Awards.

'Song of the Sea' nominated for Oscar

Song of the Sea (IMDb)

The fantastic 'Song of the Sea' continued Ireland's growing tradition of quality animation, receiving an Oscar nomination for 'Beast Animated Feature Film.' We'll know on February 22 if it grabs the award.

Ruairi 'Frostbit' McSorley

A 'cold snap' is never the most enjoyable part of an Irish winter, but without the recent chill we wouldn't have met Ruairi 'Forstbit' McSorley. The 18-year-old comedian's TV interview made him the biggest snow celebrity since the man who fell over on the ice the at time.

The Irish woman man who suprised his sister at her wedding

As Avril Hunt walked down the aisle to marry her fiance, she was sure her brother Paul, who lives in Melbourne, was on the other side of the world. But, to her amazement, she spotted him amongst her family in the church. This photo, which captures all the emotion of the moment, went viral during the first week of the year, giving us all a nice, heartwarming start to 2015.

Cheap tickets to Iceland

(Wikipedia.org)

If this winter hasn't been cold enough for you, flights from as low as 49 each way have been announced between Dublin and Reykjavik. Now you can see the Northern Lights properly, instead of gazing hopelessly at the impenetrable Irish clouds which appear whenever the lights are 'visible.'