Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

M.H. Cork City

Contributor

M.H.

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

19 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

My kitchen, western suburb of Cork city

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

Initially, as reports came out of China it was a shocking and tragic event, but so far away that I thought we were immune from it. Alas! Events have moved on so swiftly and disastrously for the whole world. I think many people here in Ireland felt the same way - it surely couldn't happen here. It was a shock to find that we are as vulnerable as everybody else. At first, I felt compelled to listen to every news bulletin re the spread of the virus, but I found that weighed too heavily on my spirit, so curtailed my exposure to news and tool to listening to music instead. Overwhelmed, I lacked the energy to do the things I wanted/needed to do, e.g. tidy the house.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

My everyday routine has been completely turned upside down. Normally, I am involved in many activities and organisations outside the home, church, community, past pupils' union, Adult Ed. classes, book club, a hand bell choir, tennis, caring for grandchildren. All these outlets and interests came to a halt so abruptly, all within the one week, the week commencing the 9th March 2020. Schools closed. It came as a tremendous shock when our weekend Masses were cancelled - things were very serious then!! In our parish, the daily Masses continued for a few days, as our church is so large it was possible to implement the distancing protocol - then that ceased as well. At first, I could not remember that having ever happened before, but on more mature reflection, I remember it had happened, but only in Cork, in the 1950s, when we experienced a polio epidemic. My brother and I, RIP, spent all the Summer months confined to our back garden, as did children all over the city, but as far as I can remember places of employment remained open. On the Wednesday of that week, Cliff Wegbury was entertaining us at our local community centre, when word was received that the centre was to close from that day forward. A neighbour, a nurse, decided to give us, fortuitously, of the proper hand washing protocol and now whenever I am tempted to skimp on hand washing, she rises up in my consciousness and forces me to do it correctly. On the following day, my granddaughter was receiving the Sacrament on Confirmation, when during the ceremony, which was very beautiful and moving, the announcement re school closures was made. Hers was the last confirmation day, not only in our diocese, but nationwide. With it came the warning that over 70s should only leave home under certain conditions where contagion would be at a minimum. Hence my husband and I missed the family get together, with cousins and aunts and uncles, that evening, though we did make the meal post ceremony in the hotel. The school had also cancelled the usual gathering of the Confirmation class and guests in school after the event. While everybody's activities have been curtailed, the over 70s and other vulnerable peoples are drastically curtailed, in the interests of safety. At first we could leave home for a walk, but now that outlet has been closed, as has shopping. A few of our grandchildren have had birthdays during this period of isolation - no parties, scarce presents, few Easter eggs - all occasions for the family to gather chez nous. A number of friends have died during this time RIP - no opportunity to support the families in the usual way. The funeral directors have included a space in their RIP notices where condolences may be inserted, and that affords at least a gesture of support. My daily routine is now as follows: I wake about 7am, listen to the radio, rise about 9am, breakfast, pray the Mass either streamed on line, on TV or radio, do some baking (Soda bread and apple/rhubarb tarts), housekeeping, cook dinner, then some time in garden, tidying, painting and walking around the garden as exercise, reminiscent of the caged lions in the zoo. Tea time comes around 6am, followed by reading, listening to radio or watching TV. An odd game of cards or a phone call to friends and family breaks the isolation.
Our Adult Ed Classes were streamed to us on line the week before Easter holidays and was most enjoyable if not as interactive as the classroom situation.

Q. 3 GROUPS

Age certainly plays a part in the amount of seclusion or isolation people experience. Whilst very many economic enterprises have closed, there are also many people working very hard to keep us safe and tend the sick. The under 70s are still permitted to go 2km from home, take some exercise and go shopping and friends living outside the city have access to fields etc. for walking. Teachers are endeavouring to teach from home. Two of my daughters are teachers. One has Leaving Cert. classes and she feels a great responsibility towards her students. Luckily, she is quite au fait with technology, but the other is much less comfortable in that milieu, and with 3 children under 6, now at home as childcare is unavailable, it is quite difficult, but she says she can only do what she can. Another daughter has been seconded to the HSE from a Local Authority job - she is doing admin work, a son is still working in admin for the HSE and needs to be in work most of the time, one son in law is in food retail, so keeps working, another in the hospitality sector was laid off and is my "shopper", another son and daughter care for disabled adults and their facilities (residential) are still operative so they must work outside the home which presents problems re caring for their own children. I give thanks for our government's reactions to the Covid 19 crisis, though they have made mistakes (e.g. allowing the Italian rugby fans travel here) they were more on the ball than authorities in Britain and in USA. Italy and Spain have had worse outcomes than here, but every death at home or abroad is a tragedy. We have seen great community responses to the present situation, with home deliveries of food and medicines from shops and voluntary groups, help lines available to elderly and others at risk, offers of help from neighbours, clubs. My Meals on Wheels delivery has been taken over by officials from the Local Authority and meals bought in from a local deli. May God bless all our medical and ancillary staffs for their courage and dedication. On our own road before the complete shutdown became operative, for St. Patricks Day a neighbour gave an impromptu recital on her harp at the road side, while her family served Gaelic Coffee and another neighbour served buttered scones straight out of the oven. Another day, we had gentle Tai Chi exercises on the road - no traffic- always observing the safe distancing protocol. Easter Saturday we enjoyed an afternoon of music, weather beautiful, must have been via on a boom box or some such device, as it travelled all over and the clapping erupted periodically from unseen audience in the gardens back to back all along the road.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

Uncharted territory, unprecedented, crisis, isolation, mental health, lock down, cocooning, at risk, safety protocols, protective clothing, these are phrases which pepper so many conversations. The future is when this virus will have gone. I am hopeless at jokes, enjoy them, can's remember them. I saw a short video where a teen was playing his guitar in the background, while two white cockatoos rested on a chair-back nearby. He was becoming very amorous and excited and sidling towards the "missus", who was not impressed and kept moving away from him disdainfully. She surely had a headache! Last Saturday evening we place an assortment of candles in and outside our front window as a gesture of support for our health workers. My daughter did a drive-by with her children for Easter Sunday and again today and we did distance greetings. It is quite lonely without the everyday personal contacts, but if it prevents us and others catching the virus, it is a small price to pay.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

No Response.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

No Response.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

I think it has made us more conscious of our interdependence, locally, nationally, internationally and value family and friends more. Ar scath a cheile a mhaireann na daoine, as the saying goes!

Q. 10 IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT SPRINGS TO MIND?

No Response.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

Value each day, each person you meet.

age

70+

gender

Female