Research Assistant, Cork

Item

Title: Research Assistant, Cork
Contributor: Research Assistant
Subject: COVID-19 (Disease)
Coverage: Ireland; Cork; 2020s:
Date: 8 April 2020
Language: English
Creator: Cork Folklore Project
Rights: Cork Folklore Project
Description: GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

I am living in Cork City, near the train station area, in an old house that is divided into three flats. I live alone and my space occupies three rooms essentially - A kitchen/living area, a bedroom and a toilet. The house is attached to other houses on each side, one being of similar description to my own and the other occupying a one house owner/family. Looking outside of my front door, there are three major new buildings under construction; a hotel, apartment blocks and an office block. The old buildings and the new together eclipse the landscape. The road is busy with traffic as it is the main road leading out of Cork in this direction. During the day, it can be noisy with voices echoing loudly as people can be heard roaring and shouting in the distance (a regular occurrence especially at night time). This is an area where foot traffic is varied as people walk to and from the train station. This seems to be a regular haunt for people who are living on the streets and in homeless hostels, who are intoxicated and appear unkempt, chaotic in their behaviour.

USUAL LOCATION

Same. This is 'home' at the moment; Q. 1 STAGES

I first became aware of the virus as it was documented in the newspapers online around late December I believe. I remember thinking how it made sense that eating a bat from a market wouldn't have the best effect on the health of a person. There was some stir of curiosity in me as to what it was about but it was a passing one that faded back into nothingness as I ceased reading the paper. I recall mentioning it to my colleagues in Jan as the news articles were becoming more prominent in the online papers. As colleagues, each morning in work, it was usual for us to discuss the most relevant news items first thing in the morning. I do recall us having some reflections on Chinese people eating animals from markets and how this practise tied in with their history, customs, behaviours and economic circumstances. It was of interest to us but again, I don't sense there was any real observation that this might become more problematic on a world level - not imagining that it would affect us. Though we did think about people travelling from China into Ireland and wondered if that would affect us here in Ireland. From there, it seems there was a sudden concern growing. It took on a great momentum. I recall the week leading up to the schools closing and also being in work. There was this eerie feeling around the building and on the streets. It’s as if this 'atmosphere' descended down upon us like a fog or mist descends around a hill top. Suddenly, the atmosphere felt thick and dense. It felt like something big was coming down the tracks. I felt as though everyone was being called to arms so to speak. All normal concerns were swiftly gone. Just like that. People looked concerned and there was this quietness, this hush that pervaded everything. I felt concerned too. I had never witnessed this sudden halt to everything before. It felt like a train coming to a screech on the tracks. All this escalation of noise and then suddenly, nothing. Deathly quiet. Before the real quiet came in however, on the day they announced the schools would close, there was a frantic rush around the shops. The usual shop I go to on my way home (Supervalu and Marks and Spenser, Merchants Quay) was suddenly very busy. There was this buzz as people hurriedly started filling trollies and baskets. There was an excitement in the air too. People were talking about the end of the world, as if all life as we know it was under threat. I remember feeling worried that Ireland would run out of stock and many worst case scenarios formulated in my mind. I imagined I would have to scavenge to stay alive. That moment stands out in my mind because the panic in the atmosphere was so visible in people's behaviours. I noticed my own reaction to the collective behaviour - I picked up a few 'extra bits' of shopping, just in case, absorbing the panic.; Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I am self-isolating with symptoms of the virus, in my twelfth day of total isolation. My neighbour drops food shopping at the door for me. I have not been outside and I have been sick. I still get up usually before 9 at the latest and try to stick to the usual bedtime. This has been a bit out of whack the past few days however as I am not sleeping as well. It is difficult to process things in the usual way, and I mean feelings or thoughts.
age: 36-50
gender: Female

Item sets: Questionnaire 1: 2020