Irish returning to Dublin ‘feel very lucky to have come home’

Outside of Terminal 1 arrivals at Dublin Airport on Sunday afternoon, families waited in the cold for their loved ones to arrive home from Britain for Christmas, 24 hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new restrictions there and before the ban on flights to Ireland came through. in force.

Paschal Roche of Waterford and her daughter Sarah Jane were among those who arrived in Dublin on Sunday after returning from London together.

They plan to spend Christmas with Roche’s other five children and their 84-year-old mother.

“The flight was busy. Everyone was wearing masks, but it was crowded, ”Roche said.

Sarah Jane had originally booked her flight for Monday, but changed it to return home on the same flight as her father. “I was glad I did because I was surprised when I found out about the ban,” he said.

Roche underwent a private Covid test on Friday and came back negative on Saturday. “I haven’t seen the family in seven months, I’m usually home a few times a year, so it’s going to be a nice big gathering,” he said.

Ellen Hession was greeted outside Dublin Airport with a teddy bear and a handmade heart-shaped “virtual hug” sign from her mother.

“I feel very lucky to have come home. There was an air of panic last night and this morning because we were all wondering if they would restrict travel from the UK, ”said Ms Hession.

Ms. Hession is studying pedagogy in London and her main concern was getting home for Christmas. He will spend two weeks with his family in Galway before returning.

“I tried to book flights to Knock and Shannon, but it didn’t happen. I originally had a flight to Shannon but it was canceled. We didn’t know what to do, ”he said.

Hession said there was no “social distancing” on her Ryanair flight, but said she was “happy to at least get back home.”

Darragh O’Keeffe and his sister Aisling returned from Newcastle, where they have worked for several years.

“We landed and heard the news (about the ban on flights to Ireland) and I thought ‘Thank goodness’ we were back today,” O’Keeffe said.

The brothers were returning to Waterford. Aisling works in a Newcastle hospital and gets tested for Covid twice a week.

“I haven’t been home all year and I didn’t come home for Christmas last year because I was working, so I had to come. Christmas is a special time, ”he said, adding that there had been some commotion inside when he heard people at passport control asking about flight restrictions.

Meanwhile, Tim Molloy de Meath waited outside the Terminal in his Santa hat for his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren who were due to arrive home from London.

“We were in the air the whole time wondering if they would return. I am looking forward to seeing you. They have been based there for over twenty years, but they always come back for Christmas, ”Molloy said.

“I have a son who comes from Spain tonight too and we haven’t seen him in over a year. So I’m taking them back to Meath to spend Christmas together. That’s what it’s about, ”he said.