Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Marian, West Cork

Contributor

Marian

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

20 April 2020

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

Clonakilty

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

Became very aware from end of Feb, bought gels, masks etc. started getting worried in early March, wanted gov to bring in restrictions earlier than they did. Felt they were delaying things when they could have controlled it better, e.g. put people into quarantine when they came back from holidays from infected countries, should not have allowed people back from Cheltenham without monitoring. Very worried about my youngest daughter who is immune-compromised and has asthma and also vulnerable siblings and their spouses who didn't seem to have been as aware early on of the danger of covid-19 and didn't seem to be taking enough precautions.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I am retired but was very involved in the community, organising lectures and fieldtrips for a historical group, secretary of local hillwalking club, guiding with visually impaired walking group and always out and about meeting people socially and attending meetings or musical events as well as doing historical research in the archives and elsewhere. Now I don't go out except for a walk with my daughter and the dog very early in the morning before breakfast so as not to meet anyone. After breakfast I do yoga (which I used to attend weekly), make calls to friends and relatives, do gardening (which I didn't have time to do before), organise meals, bake bread (again something I didn't have much time for), write emails and still try to fit in a bit of historical research before watching 9 o'clock news and current affair programs or watch something on Netflix (I usually fall asleep while watching TV as its a long busy day). So far no family or friends birthdays have occurred but there have been three deaths this past weekend of people I know (one a very good friend of recently-diagnosed cancer and two of covid-19 who's families I know well) I find it most distressing not to be able to attend their funerals or give their loved ones a hug. I generally do not feel down and in fact I quite enjoy that my life has slowed down (I was doing too much!) but yesterday was not a good day after hearing of the three deaths.

Q. 3 GROUPS

I consider myself very lucky, I live at the edge of town, I have a garden although not very big, I acquired two hens early in March which are a great distraction apart from the fact that we now get two lovely small free-range eggs every morning and especially I am lucky to have my adult daughter living with me as she is great company - we are never bored or without something to do. I think it is very difficult for older people who are living on their own and who are used to being out and about and are now cocooned. Many of my hillwalking friends are over 70, very active and now find that they can't move outside their door and are confined to their small back gardens or yards. I also think it must be especially difficult for families with children with special needs, autism etc. - hard enough at the best of times. Also, for couples with relationship problems or people living with abusive or controlling adults. It must be extremely difficult for healthcare workers and guards and also for people working in supermarkets and for their families. and also, for people living in apartments with no gardens.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

The number of What’s App messages has increased phenomenally, lots of silly videos and jokes being shared, some are funny. Having resisted joining Facebook for years, I gave in on St Patrick's Day in order to watch Cor Chuil Aodha mass. Now I find it useful to watch our local parish mass and private message friends and relatives, but I don't want it to take over my life too much. Emails and messages usually end with 'Stay safe and well' and people talk a lot about ' the new normal' and 'when restrictions are lifted' which I find rather scary as I feel there will be a resurge. I miss giving people hugs and not seeing my friends and siblings. On the other hand I've started video calling my eldest girl who is in Scotland - we hadn't bothered doing that before - it's nice to be able to see her and to know she's ok.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

Volunteers delivering groceries; shopkeepers putting the shopping into the boot of your car (first-hand); our historical group decided to put our historical journals online so that everyone can read the articles for free, without buying the journals. Most people accepting the restrictions and getting on with the 'new normal' makes me happy, people who think they are somehow exempt from the restrictions and do not pose a risk annoys me (thankfully not too many in this category. Seeing foxes and rabbits on my walk, listening to the birds singing, watching the cows in the fields, finding that my hens have laid, all make me happy. The simpler things in life have taken on a new significance.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

I worry about my elderly aunts in case they are exposed to the virus and about my sister and brother-in-law who are vulnerable having been through cancer treatment recently. I think a lot of my granduncle who died of the Spanish Flu in 1919, aged 31, and feel for my grandmother and great-grandmother who experienced the loss of a brother and son.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE
How do you think this event has affected society as it is? How might it affect the shape of society in the future?
Obviously the economic state of the country is badly affected, but I think the health of our citizen’s should take precedence over economics. I think it will take a long long time for things to return to normal, not until a vaccine is freely available. While there will be a gradual return to work, I fear this will mean a resurge as it did in 1918 and 1919. Many of our older generation will have died prematurely which is very sad and won't get a proper send-off. Socialising in restaurants and pubs will take a long time to recover, musical festivals and sporting events will be difficult to monitor. It will be a very alien culture for Irish people.

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

Very good open-ended questionnaire

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

I think we will see a devastating effect on our older generation and vulnerable members of the community who will be afraid to go out and socialise. It will also take a long time for our community to recover economically as our town depends a lot on tourism which will be a long time recovering. I read about the Spanish Flu, more or less as an academic exercise, never in a million years realising that something similar could happen in the 21st century. People should learn from the experiences of the past and realise that no matter how sophisticated or advanced we become; we don't have as much control of our destinies as we would like to think. Governments will have to put measures in place so that we will be prepared should a pandemic like this occur again in the future and develop a proper fair health system that will be better able to handle a situation like this. Also, we might learn the lesson that a simpler life can be more rewarding but I doubt if that will feeling will last too long, once we return to the 'old normal'.

age

51-69

gender

Female