The mysterious world of the crypto-currency

To make one Bitcoin it costs around $1,000 of energy

Bitcoin has broken the $10,000 mark for the first time Photo: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

In Ireland, Tuesday was mostly about celebrating the saving of Christmas. No election, no holiday-time canvassers, out of the abyss of despair came a moment bringing as much relief as when Luke blew up the Death Star.

Elsewhere, well, it was a different story. Around the same time that Frances Fitzgerald formally announced she was stepping down as Tánaiste, Bitcoin broke through the $10,000 barrier.

From the off, pretty much everything about Bitcoin ...