As lock down continues I don’t think I’ve talked to so many friends and family, just checking in with folk to cheer one another up, in the last year than I have in the last 3 weeks. From checking in with neighbours to see if they need anything from the shops or just talking to folk to make sure they don’t feel alone, every little thing helps. I’ve seen online creative communities pull out some fantastic initiatives to support each other and COVID19 fundraisers pulling out all stops to help support community and first responders.
Folk are coming up with some awesome and innovative ways to reconnect and communicate with one another. Some of which involve:
- An Post giving each household two post cards
- Cards Against Humanity going online
- Google Chrome making a Netflix Party
- Twitch Isolation Gaming Parties
- Live Youtube Pub Quizes
- HomeTasking with Taskmaster
- Comedians Holding Online Shows
- Online Book Clubs
- Online Mental Health Festivals
- Charity Fundraising Art Auctions
- Online Dance Classes
- Patrick Stewart reading a Sonnet a Day
- TikTok duets
Although its awesome to connect with people in so many different ways, it’s also a good time to take stock of life and look at your roots just as much. I started to route around some old family photographs and audio recordings to find out more about my family or at least recall the stories that I was told as a child. Here is some detailed history about my Mam’s family history. Theres even a mention of relatives from the past hosting and hiding Countess Markievicz whilst she rallied support in Limerick.
Here is the Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1959, my Grandad was front row and centre. He was suffering from and died a few years later to Motor Neurone Disease.

