theirishtimes--2020-06-01--Locked up in lockdown: How prisons are coping with Covid-19

“ Our regime has been changed quite dramatically , ” says “ Ronny ” , one of 677 prisoners in Dublin ’ s Mountjoy Prison of life in jail during the Covid-19 lockdown .
It is a period of rising tensions with no visits allowed and less time out of the cells .
“ Usually we ’ re out of the cells three times a day : morning , afternoon , tea , ” he explains .
“ But you ’ re getting out for two hours a day now because the staff have to [ accommodate prisoners ] from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and going to the gym separately .
“ All we have in here is routine and structure .
But that ’ s just gone out the window , you know ?
It ’ s tough .
Boys will be boys and no one admits to being stressed or anxious and all that , but you can get that sense off everyone and it ’ s understandable .
Look , I ’ m stressed myself.
” He adds : “ You have family outside , you ’ ve kids outside .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will never be so important .
That ’ s the hardest part about [ the pandemic ] , is not seeing your family .
Everyone has their routine and that ’ s the best part of your week ; that picks you up for the week , seeing your family on the visits , seeing your kids .
And then it ’ s suddenly gone.
” Ronny – which is not the prisoner ’ s real name – has spent more than a decade in Mountjoy and has a lengthy stretch still to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline to help combat the virus behind the prison walls and is one of 28 Mountjoy inmates working as Irish Red Cross volunteers .
They are a vital asset to prison officers and other staff , who face an uphill battle in trying to convince often difficult , violent and mentally impaired prisoners about the merits of hand washing and social distancing .
Because the volunteers are prisoners themselves , they have a much better chance than staff of getting through to the men they are doing time alongside .
Back in 2009 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme in Dublin ’ s Wheatfield Prison which was the first of its kind in the world .
The idea was to train suitable prisoners for six months in skills such as first aid and advocacy .
They would graduate with a certificate and become community volunteers and leaders within the prison population .
Irish Red Cross prisoner teams now operate in every jail in the Republic .
They have helped staff to develop and then refine a range of programmes – from mental health awareness to drug overdose prevention , mindfulness and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as advising on practical issues such as the least safe locations in jails and where an extra CCTV camera , for example , should be installed .
Prisoner volunteers even give classes on violence prevention programmes to other inmates .
It has fallen to the volunteers to convince often difficult prisoners of the merits of cancelling family visits and reducing out-of-cell time – all to minimise the risk of infection .
With tensions rising in the jails due to the restricted regime , the Red Cross prisoner volunteers devised a plan to broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They canvassed the prisoner population to agree a schedule of preferred programming , with Ozark proving the latest hit in Mountjoy , available to view from 7.30pm to midnight every night .
It is a small , temporary , concession extended to prisoners cooped up in cells with no visits .
When the crisis began there were 4,214 prisoners in custody , with a further 363 on temporary release .
The prison service sought permission from Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to temporarily release an additional 300 inmates .
Those selected were nearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentences for non-violent crimes .
Their release created spare capacity in the system , though some have since re-offended and eight early release prisoners are already back inside .
With fewer prisoners in the system it became easier to keep people in cells alone , especially those older inmates who would be cocooning if in the community .
Those showing suspected Covid-19 symptoms could also be isolated , and new prisoners could be housed away from the main population for a period until it was clear they did not have the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Irish jails and only those vital to the day-to-day running of each jail have been allowed in .
Figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) showed that by mid-May two people in prison settings had been hospitalised out of 19 cases of Covid-19 in prisons .
Aside from the physical risks from the virus , there are the mental health risks .
The psychological service – which deals with a large volume of people at the best of times – has been forced to get creative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to take place because of social distancing requirements .
Sara Hume , who leads the service across the Irish prison system , says when the pandemic broke “ we started with anxiety as the primary presenting issue ” .
“ As the pandemic has evolved these [ anxiety-based ] presentations have changed somewhat .
It ’ s a mixture of boredom , frustration , fear , bereavement and a number of other presentations including health anxiety , obsessive-compulsive disorder.
” Hume expects to soon see more cases of depression and PTSD as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and paranoia .
She says many prisoners would feel less safe when restrictions are eased and prisons return to a more normal regime .
The regulation of frustration and anger is a key challenge for male and female prisoners at present , she says , and the primary approach is one of administering “ psychological first aid ” over the phone to prisoners .
“ That ’ s really just to restore sleep , help people to cope and help people to feel connected with others , ” she says , although a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex cases .
The psychology service has also produced a series of audio recordings for the Covid-19 period that are available to prisoners via their in-cell TVs .
These focus on mindfulness , managing distress and anxiety , muscle relaxation and breathing techniques to control adrenaline .
“ In the community people can use a telephone [ at any time ] to engage with services but we don ’ t have that luxury in the prison , ” Hume says .
“ During this time , what we need to be sure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a certain level ; we can ’ t go too deep because we don ’ t want to bring up trauma.
” Peter Guinan is the chief officer at Mountjoy Prison , managing day-to-day operations in the jail .
During his 33 years working in the prison system he has seen it all .
“ In a prison , the hardest man who tells you he has never shed a tear is telling you a lie , ” he says of the intensity of the experience .
“ Everybody gets upset in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get that feedback about what is going on from the prisoner volunteers , ” he says , adding that feedback received from Red Cross volunteers never breaches the privacy of others and never relates to specific people .
“ The team is invaluable to me ; it ’ s like my right hand.
” Becoming a Red Cross prisoner volunteer can be transformative for the participants , he adds .
“ I was sitting beside a lad one day and his dad who had been a prisoner too and I knew him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent graduation ceremony for a group of volunteers .
“ They were that proud I thought both of their chests were going to explode .
They are an Irish Red Cross volunteer ; not a prison service volunteer but an Irish Red Cross volunteer .
.
.
Giving people a bit of responsibility at times , it can be the making of these lads .
”

"Our regime has been changed quite dramatically," says "Ronny", one of 677 prisoners in Dublin's Mountjoy Prison of life in jail during the Covid-19 lockdown.
It is a period of rising tensions with no visits allowed and less time out of the cells.
“Usually we’re out of the cells three times a day: morning, afternoon, tea,” he explains. “But you’re getting out for two hours a day now because the staff have to [accommodate prisoners] from all the landings going to the yard and going to the gym separately.
“All we have in here is routine and structure. But that’s just gone out the window, you know? It’s tough. Boys will be boys and no one admits to being stressed or anxious and all that, but you can get that sense off everyone and it’s understandable. Look, I’m stressed myself.”
READ MORE
He adds: “You have family outside, you’ve kids outside. It’s a worrying time. Your phone calls will never be so important. That’s the hardest part about [the pandemic], is not seeing your family. Everyone has their routine and that’s the best part of your week; that picks you up for the week, seeing your family on the visits, seeing your kids. And then it’s suddenly gone.”
Ronny – which is not the prisoner’s real name – has spent more than a decade in Mountjoy and has a lengthy stretch still to complete.
He has stepped into the frontline to help combat the virus behind the prison walls and is one of 28 Mountjoy inmates working as Irish Red Cross volunteers. They are a vital asset to prison officers and other staff, who face an uphill battle in trying to convince often difficult, violent and mentally impaired prisoners about the merits of hand washing and social distancing.
Because the volunteers are prisoners themselves, they have a much better chance than staff of getting through to the men they are doing time alongside.
With tensions rising due to the restricted regime, the volunteers devised a plan to broadcast Netflix in cells
Back in 2009 the Irish Red Cross began a jail-based scheme in Dublin’s Wheatfield Prison which was the first of its kind in the world. The idea was to train suitable prisoners for six months in skills such as first aid and advocacy. They would graduate with a certificate and become community volunteers and leaders within the prison population. Irish Red Cross prisoner teams now operate in every jail in the Republic.
They have helped staff to develop and then refine a range of programmes – from mental health awareness to drug overdose prevention, mindfulness and even cancer awareness programmes – as well as advising on practical issues such as the least safe locations in jails and where an extra CCTV camera, for example, should be installed.
Violence prevention
Prisoner volunteers even give classes on violence prevention programmes to other inmates. It has fallen to the volunteers to convince often difficult prisoners of the merits of cancelling family visits and reducing out-of-cell time – all to minimise the risk of infection.
With tensions rising in the jails due to the restricted regime, the Red Cross prisoner volunteers devised a plan to broadcast Netflix on the televisions in cells.
They canvassed the prisoner population to agree a schedule of preferred programming, with Ozark proving the latest hit in Mountjoy, available to view from 7.30pm to midnight every night. It is a small, temporary, concession extended to prisoners cooped up in cells with no visits.
When the crisis began there were 4,214 prisoners in custody, with a further 363 on temporary release. The prison service sought permission from Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to temporarily release an additional 300 inmates. Those selected were nearing the end of – mostly short – sentences for non-violent crimes. Their release created spare capacity in the system, though some have since re-offended and eight early release prisoners are already back inside.
With fewer prisoners in the system it became easier to keep people in cells alone, especially those older inmates who would be cocooning if in the community. Those showing suspected Covid-19 symptoms could also be isolated, and new prisoners could be housed away from the main population for a period until it was clear they did not have the virus.
Temperature checks were introduced for everyone coming into Irish jails and only those vital to the day-to-day running of each jail have been allowed in.
Figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) showed that by mid-May two people in prison settings had been hospitalised out of 19 cases of Covid-19 in prisons.
Aside from the physical risks from the virus, there are the mental health risks. The psychological service – which deals with a large volume of people at the best of times – has been forced to get creative, as face-to-face meetings and therapy sessions are unable to take place because of social distancing requirements.
Sara Hume, who leads the service across the Irish prison system, says when the pandemic broke "we started with anxiety as the primary presenting issue".
“As the pandemic has evolved these [anxiety-based] presentations have changed somewhat. It’s a mixture of boredom, frustration, fear, bereavement and a number of other presentations including health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
Depression
Hume expects to soon see more cases of depression and PTSD as well as an increase in social anxiety and paranoia. She says many prisoners would feel less safe when restrictions are eased and prisons return to a more normal regime.
The regulation of frustration and anger is a key challenge for male and female prisoners at present, she says, and the primary approach is one of administering “psychological first aid” over the phone to prisoners.
“That’s really just to restore sleep, help people to cope and help people to feel connected with others,” she says, although a more enhanced approach has been required for complex cases.
The psychology service has also produced a series of audio recordings for the Covid-19 period that are available to prisoners via their in-cell TVs. These focus on mindfulness, managing distress and anxiety, muscle relaxation and breathing techniques to control adrenaline.
In a prison, the hardest man who tells you he has never shed a tear is telling you a lie
“In the community people can use a telephone [at any time] to engage with services but we don’t have that luxury in the prison,” Hume says.
“During this time, what we need to be sure of is that we have to keep it at a certain level; we can’t go too deep because we don’t want to bring up trauma.”
Peter Guinan is the chief officer at Mountjoy Prison, managing day-to-day operations in the jail. During his 33 years working in the prison system he has seen it all.
“In a prison, the hardest man who tells you he has never shed a tear is telling you a lie,” he says of the intensity of the experience.
“Everybody gets upset in prisons and it’s very important we get that feedback about what is going on from the prisoner volunteers,” he says, adding that feedback received from Red Cross volunteers never breaches the privacy of others and never relates to specific people.
“The team is invaluable to me; it’s like my right hand.”
Becoming a Red Cross prisoner volunteer can be transformative for the participants, he adds.
“I was sitting beside a lad one day and his dad who had been a prisoner too and I knew him well,” Guinan explains of a recent graduation ceremony for a group of volunteers.
“They were that proud I thought both of their chests were going to explode. They are an Irish Red Cross volunteer; not a prison service volunteer but an Irish Red Cross volunteer . . . Giving people a bit of responsibility at times, it can be the making of these lads.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-01--Carrier of O’Donnell flame waits as search for Red Hugh continues

On many occasions Vincent O ’ Donnell , a retired primary school teacher from outside Donegal town , has led family members on a melancholy pilgrimage to the Spanish city of Valladolid , once the capital of Spain .
In 2011 a plaque was unveiled acknowledging that the city was the last resting place of the most famous of his ancestors Red Hugh O ’ Donnell .
That ceremony acknowledged the connections between Ireland and Spain which once shared a common religion in Catholicism and a common ancestral enemy in England .
Red Hugh was in Spain to solicit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another Spanish army to Ireland – the first had been defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 .
Red Hugh died aged 29 in September 1602 from a fever and was buried with all the pomp and pageantry the Spanish crown could muster .
It was done , according to the Annals of the Four Masters , “ with veneration and honour , and in the most solemn manner that any of the Gaels had been ever interred in before ” .
Despite the status accorded to Red Hugh in death , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chapel of Wonders , his last resting place , and the Franciscan monastery where it was located disappeared when the monastery was levelled in 1836 .
Now , thanks to the diligence of Spanish archaeologists , the chapel has been found and they will enter it next week in the hope that the grave of Red Hugh will be rediscovered .
Red Hugh had no children , and the O ’ Donnell family did not prosper after his death .
He was succeeded as clan leader by his brother Rory who , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Flight of the Earls in 1607 .
They fled with Hugh O ’ Neill to the continent and their flight marked the end of Gaelic Ireland .
A year later Rory and Cathbharr died within weeks of each other in Rome from fever .
They had children , but their children had no children and so the family line died out .
As a result , the Office of the Chief Herald , which adjudicates on old Gaelic titles , has determined that there is no “ The O ’ Donnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was one though it would probably be Vincent O ’ Donnell ( 75 ) from the parish of Inver in Co Donegal .
He shares a common ancestry through Manus O ’ Donnell , the 21st chief , who was Red Hugh ’ s grandfather .
Mr O ’ Donnell was the long-term secretary of the O ’ Donnell Clan Association , and the go-to man for all the ancestral family business .
He only retired some months ago after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease ( MND ) .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Donnell family , the big boss , the buck stopped with me and everybody accepted that way , ” he declares .
He says the original O ’ Donnells were distinguished by the “ bal dearg ” or red spot between the shoulder blades which was regarded as a mark of greatness .
Spanish archaeologists will eschew the bal dearg , however , for a simple DNA test if the remains are found .
There are branches of the family scattered across Europe .
One branch were French counts .
Another – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr O ’ Donnell – made their fortune with the East India Company .
“ They are very British and have no interest in Irish history , ” he says regretfully .
One man who does take a keen interest is Francis Martin ( Frank ) O ’ Donnell who has penned a 750-page tome about the family history entitled The O ’ Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden legacy .
He is a descendent of Red Hugh ’ s half-brother Domhnall O ’ Donnell who was later killed by Red Hugh ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispute .
Frank O ’ Donnell says the Spanish authorities should look no further than Don Hugo O ’ Donnell , a Spanish aristocrat and historian , for an ancestor if they are looking for DNA .
A former diplomat for the United Nations , he believes Red Hugh ’ s body should be repatriated to Ireland with a State funeral and a burial in Donegal town .
“ You have to remember that he had no intention of being permanently in Spain.
” He acknowledges that the city of Valladolid , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find Red Hugh ’ s remains , might have other ideas .
As a compromise he cites the example of Frédéric Chopin , the composer , whose body is buried in Paris , but whose heart was repatriated to his native Poland .
Vincent O ’ Donnell says he would be “ quite happy to leave him where he is for the last 400 years ” provided there was a suitable monument or memorial to mark the spot .
As the excavation continues , the mayor of Valladolid Óscar Puente told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already come forward offering DNA samples if needed .
However , he said it may be difficult to positively identify Red Hugh as eight skeletons had already been found .
“ We will need a little luck , ” he says .
“ We know now that he is there .
We will have to dig a little bit more , but we have found the place and for us , that is an achievement.
” The third week of the dig next week will see a further exploration of the Chapel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ this ] week could be week we find Red Hugh O ’ Donnell , ” he added , suggesting his coffin could have identifying marks because of his status .
What will happen if the discovery is made ?
“ If we find the remains , we have to do something that both countries find suitable , ” Mr Puente .
“ We want to use this search to strengthen the bonds between Ireland and Spain .
That is something we will have to discuss with the Irish Government .
”

On many occasions Vincent O'Donnell, a retired primary school teacher from outside Donegal town, has led family members on a melancholy pilgrimage to the Spanish city of Valladolid, once the capital of Spain.
In 2011 a plaque was unveiled acknowledging that the city was the last resting place of the most famous of his ancestors Red Hugh O'Donnell. That ceremony acknowledged the connections between Ireland and Spain which once shared a common religion in Catholicism and a common ancestral enemy in England.
Red Hugh was in Spain to solicit the help of King Philip III in sending another Spanish army to Ireland – the first had been defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Red Hugh died aged 29 in September 1602 from a fever and was buried with all the pomp and pageantry the Spanish crown could muster.
It was done, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, “with veneration and honour, and in the most solemn manner that any of the Gaels had been ever interred in before”.
READ MORE
Two of the eight skeletons found so far. Photograph: City of Valladolid
Despite the status accorded to Red Hugh in death, his burial place was lost when the Chapel of Wonders, his last resting place, and the Franciscan monastery where it was located disappeared when the monastery was levelled in 1836.
Now, thanks to the diligence of Spanish archaeologists, the chapel has been found and they will enter it next week in the hope that the grave of Red Hugh will be rediscovered.
Red Hugh had no children, and the O’Donnell family did not prosper after his death. He was succeeded as clan leader by his brother Rory who, along with their sibling, Cathbharr was part of the Flight of the Earls in 1607. They fled with Hugh O’Neill to the continent and their flight marked the end of Gaelic Ireland.
A year later Rory and Cathbharr died within weeks of each other in Rome from fever. They had children, but their children had no children and so the family line died out. As a result, the Office of the Chief Herald, which adjudicates on old Gaelic titles, has determined that there is no “The O’Donnell” – or clan head.
If there was one though it would probably be Vincent O'Donnell (75) from the parish of Inver in Co Donegal. He shares a common ancestry through Manus O'Donnell, the 21st chief, who was Red Hugh's grandfather.
Mr O’Donnell was the long-term secretary of the O’Donnell Clan Association, and the go-to man for all the ancestral family business. He only retired some months ago after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Vincent O’Donnell at Inver Abbey near his home in Inver, Co. Donegal. Photograph: Joe Dunne
“I’m the linchpin in the O’Donnell family, the big boss, the buck stopped with me and everybody accepted that way,” he declares.
He says the original O’Donnells were distinguished by the “bal dearg” or red spot between the shoulder blades which was regarded as a mark of greatness. Spanish archaeologists will eschew the bal dearg, however, for a simple DNA test if the remains are found.
An ancestor
There are branches of the family scattered across Europe. One branch were French counts. Another – probably the closest ancestors, according to Mr O'Donnell – made their fortune with the East India Company.
“They are very British and have no interest in Irish history,” he says regretfully.
One man who does take a keen interest is Francis Martin (Frank) O'Donnell who has penned a 750-page tome about the family history entitled The O'Donnells of Tyrconnell – A Hidden legacy.
He is a descendent of Red Hugh’s half-brother Domhnall O’Donnell who was later killed by Red Hugh’s mother Iníon Dubh following a family dispute.
Frank O’Donnell says the Spanish authorities should look no further than Don Hugo O’Donnell, a Spanish aristocrat and historian, for an ancestor if they are looking for DNA. A former diplomat for the United Nations, he believes Red Hugh’s body should be repatriated to Ireland with a State funeral and a burial in Donegal town.
“You have to remember that he had no intention of being permanently in Spain.”
He acknowledges that the city of Valladolid, which has gone to great expense and trouble to find Red Hugh's remains, might have other ideas. As a compromise he cites the example of Frédéric Chopin, the composer, whose body is buried in Paris, but whose heart was repatriated to his native Poland.
Vincent O’Donnell says he would be “quite happy to leave him where he is for the last 400 years” provided there was a suitable monument or memorial to mark the spot.
As the excavation continues, the mayor of Valladolid Óscar Puente told The Irish Times that relatives of Red Hugh had already come forward offering DNA samples if needed.
However, he said it may be difficult to positively identify Red Hugh as eight skeletons had already been found.
Mayor of Valladolid Óscar Puente being interviewed at the site. Photograph: City of Valladolid
“We will need a little luck,” he says. “We know now that he is there. We will have to dig a little bit more, but we have found the place and for us, that is an achievement.”
The third week of the dig next week will see a further exploration of the Chapel of Wonders.
“We believe that [this] week could be week we find Red Hugh O’Donnell,” he added, suggesting his coffin could have identifying marks because of his status.
What will happen if the discovery is made?
"If we find the remains, we have to do something that both countries find suitable," Mr Puente. "We want to use this search to strengthen the bonds between Ireland and Spain. That is something we will have to discuss with the Irish Government. "


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Six counties free of new cases of Covid-19 over past week

Six counties were free of new cases of Covid-19 over the past week as the virus continues to be suppressed nationally .
Counties Kerry , Meath and Sligo showed no increase in case numbers in the latest Health Service Executive epidemiological reports published on Sunday for the week from May 21st to 28th .
There was a drop of one case in the numbers recorded for counties Donegal , Tipperary and Wexford over the week .
This is probably the result of a case being denotified when the cause of death was reclassified .
Counties Leitrim and Longford had just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Laois recorded two new cases .
Dublin , which accounts for over 48 per cent of all cases , added another 201 cases , and Cork ’ s figure grew by 52 .
Co Cavan continues to have the highest incidence of the disease , followed by Dublin and Monaghan .
Another person in the 25-34 year age category diagnosed with confirmed Covid-19 has died , the recent reports from the HSE ’ s Health Protection Surveillance Centre show .
There have now been six deaths in this age category , plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or probable .
In addition , there have been two deaths in the 15-24 year cohort , 10 among 35-44 year-olds , and 23 among 45-54 year-olds .
The number of deaths in other age categories are : 60 among 55-64-year-olds ; 127 among 65-74-year-olds ; 476 among 75-84-year-olds ; and 614 among those aged 85 and over .
There was no increase in the overall number of nursing homes affected by outbreaks of the disease over the last week , at 257 .
The number of clusters in residential institutions increased by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the another eight hospital recorded outbreaks , bringing that total to 102 .
There were also an additional three workplace clusters ; that total now stands at 43 .
Of the 1,649 deaths recorded on May 28th , 1,388 were classified as confirmed , 94 as probable and 197 as possible .
According to the latest HSE operational report , there were 182 confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in hospital last Saturday , plus another 188 suspected cases .
Out of a total of 385 staffed critical care beds , 118 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in critical care , down from a high of more than 160 in early April ; there were also 13 suspected cases in critical care .

Six counties were free of new cases of Covid-19 over the past week as the virus continues to be suppressed nationally.
Counties Kerry, Meath and Sligo showed no increase in case numbers in the latest Health Service Executive epidemiological reports published on Sunday for the week from May 21st to 28th.
There was a drop of one case in the numbers recorded for counties Donegal, Tipperary and Wexford over the week. This is probably the result of a case being denotified when the cause of death was reclassified.
Counties Leitrim and Longford had just one extra case during the week, while Laois recorded two new cases.
READ MORE
Dublin, which accounts for over 48 per cent of all cases, added another 201 cases, and Cork’s figure grew by 52.
Co Cavan continues to have the highest incidence of the disease, followed by Dublin and Monaghan.
Another person in the 25-34 year age category diagnosed with confirmed Covid-19 has died, the recent reports from the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre show. There have now been six deaths in this age category, plus another death that is classified as possible or probable.
In addition, there have been two deaths in the 15-24 year cohort, 10 among 35-44 year-olds, and 23 among 45-54 year-olds.
The number of deaths in other age categories are: 60 among 55-64-year-olds; 127 among 65-74-year-olds; 476 among 75-84-year-olds; and 614 among those aged 85 and over.
Nursing homes
There was no increase in the overall number of nursing homes affected by outbreaks of the disease over the last week, at 257. The number of clusters in residential institutions increased by seven over the week to 184, while the another eight hospital recorded outbreaks, bringing that total to 102.
There were also an additional three workplace clusters; that total now stands at 43.
Of the 1,649 deaths recorded on May 28th, 1,388 were classified as confirmed, 94 as probable and 197 as possible.
According to the latest HSE operational report, there were 182 confirmed cases of Covid-19 being treated in hospital last Saturday, plus another 188 suspected cases. Out of a total of 385 staffed critical care beds, 118 remained available.
Some 36 confirmed cases were in critical care, down from a high of more than 160 in early April; there were also 13 suspected cases in critical care.
Thirty Covid-19 patients were on ventilators.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Responses 'vital': CSO urges take-up for Covid-19 survey

The Central Statistics Office ( CSO ) is appealing for people to come forward and take part in field work to help tell the story of how Covid-19 is impacting Ireland ’ s economy and society , as well as wider issues affecting the State .
Before the introduction of pandemic-related travel restrictions , more than 100 CSO interviewers would visit 30,000 households every three months to conduct interviews for the purposes of gathering data underpinning decisions in health , welfare , the environment and the economy , as well as a range of other policy areas .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work has changed completely since Covid-19 ” .
Field work is being carried out by telephone rather than face to face , and response rates are falling , which could have an impact on the quality of information collected .
The CSO is launching an awareness campaign , titled Because You Told Us , to highlight the importance of getting people involved in its surveys .
Fiona O ’ Riordan , head of the social collection division at the CSO , said responses were “ vital ” .
“ We have measured Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through bad .
Taking part in our surveys is important because the statistics we collect are used to make policy decisions and to plan for the future.
” CSO surveys are confidential and personal details are never shared with any other government department or organisation , she said .
“ The information collected during this difficult time in particular will help us chart the changes taking place in our lives now so generations to come can understand the seismic shift our society is undergoing.
” Those who receive survey requests are being asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any concerns or questions , to contact the CSO on 1890 252 293 .

Field work is being carried out by telephone rather than face to face, and response rates are falling. Photograph: iStock
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is appealing for people to come forward and take part in field work to help tell the story of how Covid-19 is impacting Ireland's economy and society, as well as wider issues affecting the State.
Before the introduction of pandemic-related travel restrictions, more than 100 CSO interviewers would visit 30,000 households every three months to conduct interviews for the purposes of gathering data underpinning decisions in health, welfare, the environment and the economy, as well as a range of other policy areas.
According to the CSO, however, “this work has changed completely since Covid-19”. Field work is being carried out by telephone rather than face to face, and response rates are falling, which could have an impact on the quality of information collected.
The CSO is launching an awareness campaign, titled Because You Told Us, to highlight the importance of getting people involved in its surveys. Fiona O’Riordan, head of the social collection division at the CSO, said responses were “vital”.
READ MORE
“We have measured Ireland’s economy through good times and through bad. Taking part in our surveys is important because the statistics we collect are used to make policy decisions and to plan for the future.”
CSO surveys are confidential and personal details are never shared with any other government department or organisation, she said. “The information collected during this difficult time in particular will help us chart the changes taking place in our lives now so generations to come can understand the seismic shift our society is undergoing.”
Those who receive survey requests are being asked to participate, and if they have any concerns or questions, to contact the CSO on 1890 252 293.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Covid-19 has ‘striking’ psychological impact in Northern Ireland

The psychological impact of Covid-19 during the first month of lockdown in Northern Ireland was “ quite striking ” , a new study from Queen ’ s University , Belfast has found .
The study disclosed that of 470 people surveyed one-third met the criteria for coronavirus-related anxiety and depression while one in five met the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder related to the pandemic .
The study was conducted by Professor Chérie Armour and researchers from the Stress , Trauma And Research Conditions ( STARC ) research laboratory at Queen ’ s University .
They conducted a month-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were experiencing anxiety , depression and post-trauma symptoms and if particular groups were more at risk for mental ill health than others .
The survey found that the most at risk groups for mental ill health during the first month of lockdown included those with pre-existing mental health conditions , key workers , those who consume a high volume of Covid-19 related information via the media , younger people , and those who are highly concerned about infection .
“ The rates of self-reported anxiety , depression and Covid-19 related symptoms during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ striking within our Northern Ireland specific data , ” said Professor Armour .
“ They are comparable yet slightly higher than the rates reported in UK studies ; mostly collecting data from England , ” she added .
“ This is understandable since Northern Ireland has previously reported a 25 per cent higher prevalence of mental ill health compared to England and our results have shown those with pre-existing mental health conditions are most at risk , ” said Professor Armour .
She added that “ given the pressure on keyworkers during these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a keyworker would increase the risk for mental health outcomes and the data supports this ” .
Professor Armour said more funding should be provided to cater for the “ potential influx of individuals needing mental health support ” .
The survey also found that almost three-quarters ( 72 per cent ) stated that they were highly concerned about the ability of the health service to care for coronavirus patients if the situation was to worsen .
Approximately half of respondents ( 49 per cent ) said they were highly concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage the situation while 50 per cent were highly concerned about the financial implications of the outbreak ; particularly those who reported a self-perceived lower than average income .

The psychological impact of Covid-19 during the first month of lockdown in Northern Ireland was “quite striking”, a new study from Queen’s University, Belfast has found.
The psychological impact of Covid-19 during the first month of lockdown in Northern Ireland was "quite striking", a new study from Queen's University, Belfast has found.
The study disclosed that of 470 people surveyed one-third met the criteria for coronavirus-related anxiety and depression while one in five met the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder related to the pandemic.
The study was conducted by Professor Chérie Armour and researchers from the Stress, Trauma And Research Conditions (STARC) research laboratory at Queen’s University.
They conducted a month-long online research study to determine how many people were experiencing anxiety, depression and post-trauma symptoms and if particular groups were more at risk for mental ill health than others.
READ MORE
The survey found that the most at risk groups for mental ill health during the first month of lockdown included those with pre-existing mental health conditions, key workers, those who consume a high volume of Covid-19 related information via the media, younger people, and those who are highly concerned about infection.
“The rates of self-reported anxiety, depression and Covid-19 related symptoms during the first month of lockdown are quite striking within our Northern Ireland specific data,” said Professor Armour.
"They are comparable yet slightly higher than the rates reported in UK studies; mostly collecting data from England, " she added.
“This is understandable since Northern Ireland has previously reported a 25 per cent higher prevalence of mental ill health compared to England and our results have shown those with pre-existing mental health conditions are most at risk,” said Professor Armour.
She added that “given the pressure on keyworkers during these uncertain times we expected to find that being a keyworker would increase the risk for mental health outcomes and the data supports this”.
Professor Armour said more funding should be provided to cater for the “potential influx of individuals needing mental health support”.
The survey also found that almost three-quarters (72 per cent) stated that they were highly concerned about the ability of the health service to care for coronavirus patients if the situation was to worsen.
Approximately half of respondents (49 per cent) said they were highly concerned about the British government’s ability to manage the situation while 50 per cent were highly concerned about the financial implications of the outbreak; particularly those who reported a self-perceived lower than average income.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--How lockdown has helped us to save money - and find new ways to spend it

Normally on a lovely June bank holiday Monday like this one ( fingers crossed the sun is still shining ! )
Pricewatch becomes obsessed with summer and travel and the costs that come with all of it .
We focus on where we might get the best holiday insurance and how to avoid being ripped off by car hire companies and how we might see the world on a shoestring - that kind of thing .
But as a summer like no other starts , all that stuff is suddenly irrelevant so instead on this June bank holiday Monday - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return at some point and maybe even some point in the weeks ahead - we reckoned we ’ d take a moment to take stock of what has happened to us all and look at the some of the ways the lockdown has helped us to save a few bob .
We figured we might also highlight some ways we might use those savings wisely .
None of this is to ignore the cataclysmic impact the Covid-19 crisis has had on many individuals , families and businesses across the country but rather try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of good news at a miserable time .
Let ’ s say a family of two adults and two kids were planning a camping holiday in France or Spain or Italy for July or August - hardly the most lavish of summer breaks but still not cheap .
Given the height of the season , flights for four people would probably have cost around €1600 with the cost of a standard caravan on a not-too-swanky site coming in at least €2000 .
Add a couple of hundred quid for car hire and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport purchases and snacks and food along the way - and the cost of that holiday which will now not be taken could easily top €4000 .
Restaurants have had their doors closed for two months which has caused immense hardship to owners and to staff and wreaked havoc across the wider economy .
Standing alongside that , the savings for consumers who have been denied the opportunity to eat out pale into insignificance .
But for the purposes of doing our tally , the savings can not be ignored .
If a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a restaurant for either breakfast , lunch , brunch or dinner just four times a month , then the enforced savings since the crisis began will exceed €500 and will climb further until restaurants can reopen their doors again , starting later this month .
Are you reading for a piece of fifth class maths ?
According to a piece of research published last September , Irish people spend around €800 million in pubs in a normal year .
That works out at around €15 million a week in pubs in a normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 15th which means , Irish people have spent €165 million less drinking out than they otherwise might have .
There are around 3.5 million adults in Ireland although one in five of them do not drink any alcohol at all which leaves 2.8 million people who do .
That means that the average saving per drinking person is €59 since the crisis began , a number we will round up to €60 and double for a two adult household taking the pub savings to €120 .
With people prohibited from travelling in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their homes for much of the last three months and anyone who could work from home told to do so and with hundreds of thousands people left with no jobs to travel to , car usage in Ireland has plummeted to virtually nothing .
In times past , the average Irish motorist drove 16,000km every year and if the average price of petrol is €1.32 a litre , driving the average family car , which does 12.4km per litre will cost about €33 a week .
There has been little or no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 weeks , which takes the savings to around €400 to which we will add another €100 to cover savings in terms of wear and tear .
More maths .
Let ’ s say our imaginary two-adult two-children household spends a total of just €20 a week on public transport over the course of a week between buses to work and school , then the savings on public transport are €240 .
One of the features of life as we know it now has been the absence of a need to buy or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the home .
The amounts people would typically spend on such fare - often eaten Al Desko - does vary wildly .
But let ’ s say our imaginary household was accustomed to buying a sandwich , a bag of crisps and maybe some class of drink of a normal workday lunch , then the weekly cost would probably be around €35 per person .
There are two people working in our imaginary household , the weekly cost of lunch eaten out of the home is €70 which adds up to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis began .
Pricewatch is very partial to coffee .
And we drink a lot of it .
It is a habit which does not , however , come cheap and while takeaway coffee might be good and quite good for you too - at least according to some studies we have read in recent times - it is not good for your wallet .
Irish people lucky enough to still have jobs and able to work from home have now avoided going into their offices on at least 60 occasions since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cup of coffee costs €3 and our two fantasy adults were partial to just one cup each per working day , then the amount of money not spent since the middle of March is €360 .
With all but essential retailers closed for what seems like forever the opportunity to buy clothes - at least in the real world - has largely dried up .
The removal of temptation will have saved many people a lot of money .
If a household spends just €200 every three months on clothes then that money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent .
But that is not all .
People who would normally wear fancy clothes for work - and by fancy we mean suits and grown up shoes and the like ( Pricewatch can generally get by with jeans and unironed shirts , you see ) have not been wearing them so their shelf life has been significantly extended so we will suggest that the savings on clothes is around €300 .
The monthly cost of gym membership is anywhere from €30 to €100 .
It is even pricier in the swankiest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sake of this article .
Two adults not spending €50 a month on gym membership for the three months that have just past and the three months still to come will lead to savings of €600 .
This page has long said that sometimes spending money is a habit and one which can be broken .
We are not talking about feeding yourself or paying for a roof over your head or dressing or entertaining yourself obviously .
But many of us are guilty betimes of spending money on stuff we neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months has seen that habit upturned for many of us and it has been kind of refreshing and remarkable to get through a whole week without spending a bean on anything other than essential things .
The key to breaking the spending habit is - obviously - not going into shops at all and that has - quite literally - never been easier .
If all the people in our fictional household would normally spend just €25 a week on stuff that wasn ’ t absolutely necessary then a further €1,200 has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lockdown .
The VHI , Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health have all either processed or starting processing refunds for policy holders as a result of the Government ’ s effective takeover of the State ’ s private hospitals in the early stages of the crisis .
How the three companies are handling the refunds differs but people should expect to get back around half of what they pay in the three months between April and June .
The VHI is to waive premium costs by an average of 50 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Laya Healthcare is to provide a cashback payment up to €195 for every adult member and €60 for every child member .
A family of two adults and two children will be refunded a total of €510 .
Irish Life Health customers with advanced plans will get between 36 per cent and 60 per cent of their monthly premium back while those on plans with largely public hospital cover will get rebates of between 17 per cent and 21 per cent .
Our imaginary family can expect to get €500 back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our notional household visits the barber eight times a year and his partner visits the salon once every 10 weeks ( plus once for a special occasion ) , the annual total cost of their haircare alone will reach €800 .
If we add a further €400 for grooming children plus another €600 to cover the cost of manicures , pedicures , massages , facials , and anything else that a family might once have spent money on , then the annual cost of such things is probably €2,000 .
If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things are off the menu for four months - some of them will be longer - then the money not spent since the beginning of the crisis comes to around €650 .
When all this possible spending which has been rendered impossible or undesirable as a result of the crisis is totted up , it comes to a pretty astonishing €9,810 .
Some families will be able to add savings made when it comes to crèche and childminder fees to this total .
Obviously some of the spending which is not possible has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on holidays , hopefully , and they will still need to eat lunch and coffee consumed at home does not come free but there will still be significant savings .
Now , normally , Pricewatch would feel pretty pleased with itself if we could get to the end of a page like this and point to savings of close to ten grand but this is not normal and we are all too aware that the “ savings ” as they are outlined have come at a terrible cost to the entire country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , hundreds of thousands of lost jobs and national stress levels that have frequently gone off the charts .
But wouldn ’ t it at least be something if some of the consumption habits that many of us have formed over the last 70 or 80 days endured ?
While there have been many ways our spending has been curtailed , there have also been new avenues opened along which at least some of our money has flowed , many of these avenues would have been unimaginable even three months ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his most absurd could have come up with a plot line that saw publicans dressing for work as they might on any normal evening before hopping on their bikes to ferry pints of plain to thirsty locals denied access to their locals .
But needs must and pubs deserve to be complimented for the way they have managed to keep serving - albeit it in a very limited way - in these most trying of times .
For more than 50 years supermarkets have been the dominant force in Irish food shopping and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you had told Pricewatch that its position of pre-eminence could ever be challenged we would have scoffed .
But in recent weeks as the two supermarkets involved in the delivery of groceries struggled to cope with the demand for their services small shops and grocers reinvented themselves and started feeding people all over the country and making the lives of vulnerable people safer and the lives of those who find regular trips to shops in the time of coronavirus increasingly stressful more calm .
It is hard not to be impressed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of delivery from local greengrocers , fishmongers butchers and bakers - as well as the odd dairy and cheesemonger .
Just as pubs and local shops have stepped up to the plate so too have many restaurants and they are offering click and collect and meal kits to help a nation in lockdown cope just a little better with the enforced isolation .
Irish people who had plans to travel overseas this summer are now looking forward to holidays in Ireland starting , all going well , on July 20th .
If people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards right and don ’ t try and recoup all their losses in one fell swoop by jacking up their prices to ridiculous levels in the weeks ahead , then they might find they have a captive local market for many years to come .
“ Bikes are the new toilet paper ” is a phrase we never thought we would type until we heard someone using it last week when describing the sudden demand for bicycles among a population suddenly anxious to avoid public transport and navigate urban spaces that are increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page has long been a fan of two wheels and cycling is a fast , cheap , wholesome , invigorating , reliable and convenient way of getting from A to B .
By taking advantage of the tax breaks available to cyclists and their employers , you can get a decent bike on the cheap .
The Bike to Work ( biketowork.ie ) scheme covers bicycles and accessories up to a maximum of €1,000 .
Your employer buys it and you pay for it , tax-free , over 12 months , which effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price .

Normally on a lovely June bank holiday Monday like this one (fingers crossed the sun is still shining!) Pricewatch becomes obsessed with summer and travel and the costs that come with all of it.
We focus on where we might get the best holiday insurance and how to avoid being ripped off by car hire companies and how we might see the world on a shoestring - that kind of thing.
But as a summer like no other starts, all that stuff is suddenly irrelevant so instead on this June bank holiday Monday - as we wait for normal times to return at some point and maybe even some point in the weeks ahead - we reckoned we’d take a moment to take stock of what has happened to us all and look at the some of the ways the lockdown has helped us to save a few bob.
We figured we might also highlight some ways we might use those savings wisely. None of this is to ignore the cataclysmic impact the Covid-19 crisis has had on many individuals, families and businesses across the country but rather try and look for even the vaguest glimmers of good news at a miserable time.
READ MORE
1. Overseas holidays:
Let's say a family of two adults and two kids were planning a camping holiday in France or Spain or Italy for July or August - hardly the most lavish of summer breaks but still not cheap. Given the height of the season, flights for four people would probably have cost around €1600 with the cost of a standard caravan on a not-too-swanky site coming in at least €2000. Add a couple of hundred quid for car hire and the money spent in transit - between random airport purchases and snacks and food along the way - and the cost of that holiday which will now not be taken could easily top €4000.
2. Eating out:
Restaurants have had their doors closed for two months which has caused immense hardship to owners and to staff and wreaked havoc across the wider economy. Standing alongside that, the savings for consumers who have been denied the opportunity to eat out pale into insignificance. But for the purposes of doing our tally, the savings cannot be ignored. If a household was in the habit of visiting a restaurant for either breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner just four times a month, then the enforced savings since the crisis began will exceed €500 and will climb further until restaurants can reopen their doors again, starting later this month.
3. Drinking out:
Are you ready for a piece of fifth class maths? According to a piece of research published last September, Irish people spend around €800 million in pubs in a normal year. That works out at around €15 million a week in pubs in a normal year. Pubs have been closed since March 15th which means, Irish people have spent €165 million less drinking out than they otherwise might have. There are around 3.5 million adults in Ireland although one in five of them do not drink any alcohol at all which leaves 2.8 million people who do. That means that the average saving per drinking person is €59 since the crisis began, a number we will round up to €60 and double for a two adult household taking the pub savings to €120.
An empty M50 in Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times.
4. Driving:
With people prohibited from travelling in excess of between 2 and 5 kilometres from their homes for much of the last three months and anyone who could work from home told to do so and with hundreds of thousands people left with no jobs to travel to, car usage in Ireland has plummeted to virtually nothing. In times past, the average Irish motorist drove 16,000km every year and if the average price of petrol is €1.32 a litre, driving the average family car, which does 12.4km per litre will cost about €33 a week. There has been little or no driving done by anyone in Ireland for 12 weeks, which takes the savings to around €400 to which we will add another €100 to cover savings in terms of wear and tear.
5. Commuting:
More maths. Let’s say our imaginary two-adult two-children household spends a total of just €20 a week on public transport over the course of a week between buses to work and school, then the savings on public transport are €240.
6. Lunches:
One of the features of life as we know it now has been the absence of a need to buy or prepare a lunch to be consumed outside of the home. The amounts people would typically spend on such fare - often eaten Al Desko - does vary wildly. But let's say our imaginary household was accustomed to buying a sandwich, a bag of crisps and maybe some class of drink of a normal workday lunch, then the weekly cost would probably be around €35 per person. There are two people working in our imaginary household, the weekly cost of lunch eaten out of the home is €70 which adds up to a pretty eye watering €840 not spent since the crisis began.
Takeaway coffee.
7. Takeaway coffees:
Pricewatch is very partial to coffee. And we drink a lot of it. It is a habit which does not, however, come cheap and while takeaway coffee might be good and quite good for you too - at least according to some studies we have read in recent times - it is not good for your wallet. Irish people lucky enough to still have jobs and able to work from home have now avoided going into their offices on at least 60 occasions since the crisis began. If a takeaway cup of coffee costs €3 and our two fantasy adults were partial to just one cup each per working day, then the amount of money not spent since the middle of March is €360.
8. Clothes:
With all but essential retailers closed for what seems like forever the opportunity to buy clothes - at least in the real world - has largely dried up. The removal of temptation will have saved many people a lot of money. If a household spends just €200 every three months on clothes then that money is saved - or at least not spent. But that is not all. People who would normally wear fancy clothes for work - and by fancy we mean suits and grown up shoes and the like (Pricewatch can generally get by with jeans and unironed shirts, you see) have not been wearing them so their shelf life has been significantly extended so we will suggest that the savings on clothes is around €300.
Gyms are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
9. Gyms:
The monthly cost of gym membership is anywhere from €30 to €100. It is even pricier in the swankiest of gyms but we will disregard them for the sake of this article. Two adults not spending €50 a month on gym membership for the three months that have just past and the three months still to come will lead to savings of €600.
10. Random shopping:
This page has long said that sometimes spending money is a habit and one which can be broken. We are not talking about feeding yourself or paying for a roof over your head or dressing or entertaining yourself obviously. But many of us are guilty betimes of spending money on stuff we neither need or really want. The last three months has seen that habit upturned for many of us and it has been kind of refreshing and remarkable to get through a whole week without spending a bean on anything other than essential things. The key to breaking the spending habit is - obviously - not going into shops at all and that has - quite literally - never been easier. If all the people in our fictional household would normally spend just €25 a week on stuff that wasn’t absolutely necessary then a further €1,200 has not been spent since the start of the lockdown.
11. Health insurance:
The VHI, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health have all either processed or starting processing refunds for policy holders as a result of the Government's effective takeover of the State's private hospitals in the early stages of the crisis. How the three companies are handling the refunds differs but people should expect to get back around half of what they pay in the three months between April and June. The VHI is to waive premium costs by an average of 50 per cent for subscribers for an initial three-month period. Laya Healthcare is to provide a cashback payment up to €195 for every adult member and €60 for every child member. A family of two adults and two children will be refunded a total of €510. Irish Life Health customers with advanced plans will get between 36 per cent and 60 per cent of their monthly premium back while those on plans with largely public hospital cover will get rebates of between 17 per cent and 21 per cent. Our imaginary family can expect to get €500 back in the weeks ahead.
12. Grooming room:
Assuming the man in our notional household visits the barber eight times a year and his partner visits the salon once every 10 weeks (plus once for a special occasion), the annual total cost of their haircare alone will reach €800. If we add a further €400 for grooming children plus another €600 to cover the cost of manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, and anything else that a family might once have spent money on, then the annual cost of such things is probably €2,000. If we work on the assumption that all those things are off the menu for four months - some of them will be longer - then the money not spent since the beginning of the crisis comes to around €650.
When all this possible spending which has been rendered impossible or undesirable as a result of the crisis is totted up, it comes to a pretty astonishing €9,810. Some families will be able to add savings made when it comes to crèche and childminder fees to this total. Obviously some of the spending which is not possible has been replaced - people will still go on holidays, hopefully, and they will still need to eat lunch and coffee consumed at home does not come free but there will still be significant savings.
Now, normally, Pricewatch would feel pretty pleased with itself if we could get to the end of a page like this and point to savings of close to ten grand but this is not normal and we are all too aware that the “savings” as they are outlined have come at a terrible cost to the entire country in terms of lost lives, a shattered economy, hundreds of thousands of lost jobs and national stress levels that have frequently gone off the charts.
But wouldn’t it at least be something if some of the consumption habits that many of us have formed over the last 70 or 80 days endured?
NEW WAYS TO SPEND
While there have been many ways our spending has been curtailed, there have also been new avenues opened along which at least some of our money has flowed, many of these avenues would have been unimaginable even three months ago.
1. Takeaway pints:
Not even Flann O’Brien at his most absurd could have come up with a plot line that saw publicans dressing for work as they might on any normal evening before hopping on their bikes to ferry pints of plain to thirsty locals denied access to their locals. But needs must and pubs deserve to be complimented for the way they have managed to keep serving - albeit it in a very limited way - in these most trying of times.
2. Food shop:
For more than 50 years supermarkets have been the dominant force in Irish food shopping and at the start of this year if you had told Pricewatch that its position of pre-eminence could ever be challenged we would have scoffed. But in recent weeks as the two supermarkets involved in the delivery of groceries struggled to cope with the demand for their services small shops and grocers reinvented themselves and started feeding people all over the country and making the lives of vulnerable people safer and the lives of those who find regular trips to shops in the time of coronavirus increasingly stressful more calm. It is hard not to be impressed by the quality of the produce and the speed of delivery from local greengrocers, fishmongers butchers and bakers - as well as the odd dairy and cheesemonger.
3. Meal kits:
Just as pubs and local shops have stepped up to the plate so too have many restaurants and they are offering click and collect and meal kits to help a nation in lockdown cope just a little better with the enforced isolation.
4. Holidays at home:
Irish people who had plans to travel overseas this summer are now looking forward to holidays in Ireland starting, all going well, on July 20th. If people in the Irish tourism sector play their cards right and don’t try and recoup all their losses in one fell swoop by jacking up their prices to ridiculous levels in the weeks ahead, then they might find they have a captive local market for many years to come.
People queue among a delivery of new stock at Donnybrook Bikes. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times.
5. Cycling:
"Bikes are the new toilet paper" is a phrase we never thought we would type until we heard someone using it last week when describing the sudden demand for bicycles among a population suddenly anxious to avoid public transport and navigate urban spaces that are increasingly unable to accommodate private cars. This page has long been a fan of two wheels and cycling is a fast, cheap, wholesome, invigorating, reliable and convenient way of getting from A to B. By taking advantage of the tax breaks available to cyclists and their employers, you can get a decent bike on the cheap. The Bike to Work (biketowork.ie) scheme covers bicycles and accessories up to a maximum of €1,000. Your employer buys it and you pay for it, tax-free, over 12 months, which effectively knocks around 40 per cent off the price.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Judge permits elderly woman 'close to death' to be tube fed

The HSE has secured court orders permitting doctors to tube feed an elderly woman said to be close to death due to a very rare food avoidance disorder .
The woman , aged in her 70s , is said to have eaten little except tiny amounts of ice cream for some months and her condition deteriorated to such an extent she was admitted to hospital earlier this month .
The case is believed to be the first here of avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder ( ARFID ) .
Áine Hynes , a solicitor representing the HSE , sought orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Peter Kelly on Friday , permitting the hospital to feed the woman by naso-gastric tube .
The orders were sought in the context of wardship proceedings .
A consultant had set out her opinion that the woman will die unless she is tube fed , the judge was told .
The court heard the woman had from last November been mostly avoiding food and her weight has fallen from 44kg to 30.75kg with a body mass index of 12.6 .
She is taking fluids .
The woman had been admitted to hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not wish to die and wants to go home , Ms Hynes outlined .
Doctors were of the view she lacks capacity to understand the gravity of her situation .
Mr Justice Kelly said he would make the order sought which was with a view to preserving the woman ’ s life .
The woman is suffering from a very unusual condition and is in “ a critical situation ” , he said .
He also noted the woman ’ s daughter did not oppose the proposed treatment .
The judge directed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a capacity assessment of the woman and report to the court for the purpose of its inquiry as to whether she should be made a ward of court .
The relevant hospital is free of Covid-19 and he anticipated the report would be provided quite quickly as additional medical visitors have been appointed in the relevant area , he said .
He also appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the woman ’ s interests in the wardship proceedings and returned the matter to June 19th .

A consultant had set out her opinion that the woman will die unless she is tube fed, the judge was told
The HSE has secured court orders permitting doctors to tube feed an elderly woman said to be close to death due to a very rare food avoidance disorder.
The woman, aged in her 70s, is said to have eaten little except tiny amounts of ice cream for some months and her condition deteriorated to such an extent she was admitted to hospital earlier this month. The case is believed to be the first here of avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
Áine Hynes, a solicitor representing the HSE, sought orders ex parte from High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly on Friday, permitting the hospital to feed the woman by naso-gastric tube. The orders were sought in the context of wardship proceedings.
A consultant had set out her opinion that the woman will die unless she is tube fed, the judge was told.
READ MORE
The court heard the woman had from last November been mostly avoiding food and her weight has fallen from 44kg to 30.75kg with a body mass index of 12.6. She is taking fluids.
The woman had been admitted to hospital earlier this month and has said she did not wish to die and wants to go home, Ms Hynes outlined.
Doctors were of the view she lacks capacity to understand the gravity of her situation.
Mr Justice Kelly said he would make the order sought which was with a view to preserving the woman’s life. The woman is suffering from a very unusual condition and is in “a critical situation”, he said. He also noted the woman’s daughter did not oppose the proposed treatment.
The judge directed an independent medical visitor should carry out a capacity assessment of the woman and report to the court for the purpose of its inquiry as to whether she should be made a ward of court.
The relevant hospital is free of Covid-19 and he anticipated the report would be provided quite quickly as additional medical visitors have been appointed in the relevant area, he said. He also appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the woman’s interests in the wardship proceedings and returned the matter to June 19th.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Coronavirus: HSE to restart testing of patients discharged to nursing homes

The Health Service Executive ( HSE ) is to restart the testing of patients being discharged from hospital to nursing homes for Covid-19 this week .
The practice was discontinued at the height of the pandemic , the HSE confirmed in a statement , with patients instead advised to isolate in a single room for 14 days after being discharged .
The decision to abandon testing in favour of isolation was first reported in Sunday ’ s edition of the Business Post .
In a lengthy statement , the HSE said that originally , testing of those being discharged was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be infectious , those who tested positive , and those unlikely to be infectious , who had tested negative .
However , the policy was altered , the HSE said , as it learned more about the virus , which can transmit asymptomatically at a higher rate than was originally thought .
Similarly , false negatives raised the risk that someone could be tested and not have virus detected , despite being infected .
“ As experience with Covid-19 was gained , it was agreed that a higher level of caution was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The requirement for testing before transfer was replaced by a requirement to isolate all people transferred to nursing homes in a single room for a monitoring period of 14 days.
” “ This was done on the basis that testing that failed to detect the virus did not give sufficient assurance that the person was not infected.
” At the same time that testing was abandoned , the State ’ s testing system was coming under considerable pressure , with backlogs building up across all stages of the process amid equipment shortages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HSE said that in the next update to guidance on patient transfers , which is currently being finalised , “ testing will be reinstated ” .
However , even if the virus is not detected , ie the test is negative , “ the higher level caution of a requirement for isolation will remain ” .
The spokeswoman said improvements in the testing system should mean the reintroduction of testing will not cause unnecessary delays .
“ In recent weeks testing turn around times have greatly improved in hospitals therefore testing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transfer.
” Tadhg Daly , the chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland , welcomed the reintroduction of testing .
“ Our point has been all the way through that all discharges need to be tested , ” he said , adding that he felt the lack of testing had contributed to the spread of the disease in nursing homes .
“ It gives you a baseline in terms of the resident coming out .
Nursing homes need to know whether a person has had , or is Covid positive or not to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriately.
” It is expected that the updated guidance for testing in these situations will be published on Tuesday .

The HSE policy for testing patients before discharging them into nursing homes was changed as it learned more about the virus. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is to restart the testing of patients being discharged from hospital to nursing homes for Covid-19 this week.
The practice was discontinued at the height of the pandemic, the HSE confirmed in a statement, with patients instead advised to isolate in a single room for 14 days after being discharged. The decision to abandon testing in favour of isolation was first reported in Sunday’s edition of the Business Post.
In a lengthy statement, the HSE said that originally, testing of those being discharged was intended to differentiate between those most likely to be infectious, those who tested positive, and those unlikely to be infectious, who had tested negative.
However, the policy was altered, the HSE said, as it learned more about the virus, which can transmit asymptomatically at a higher rate than was originally thought. Similarly, false negatives raised the risk that someone could be tested and not have virus detected, despite being infected.
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“As experience with Covid-19 was gained, it was agreed that a higher level of caution was required with all transfers to nursing homes. The requirement for testing before transfer was replaced by a requirement to isolate all people transferred to nursing homes in a single room for a monitoring period of 14 days.”
“This was done on the basis that testing that failed to detect the virus did not give sufficient assurance that the person was not infected.”
At the same time that testing was abandoned, the State’s testing system was coming under considerable pressure, with backlogs building up across all stages of the process amid equipment shortages and capacity constraints.
Updated guidance
A spokeswoman for the HSE said that in the next update to guidance on patient transfers, which is currently being finalised, “testing will be reinstated”. However, even if the virus is not detected, ie the test is negative, “the higher level caution of a requirement for isolation will remain”. The spokeswoman said improvements in the testing system should mean the reintroduction of testing will not cause unnecessary delays.
“In recent weeks testing turn around times have greatly improved in hospitals therefore testing is not now likely to cause delay in transfer.”
Tadhg Daly, the chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, welcomed the reintroduction of testing.
“Our point has been all the way through that all discharges need to be tested,” he said, adding that he felt the lack of testing had contributed to the spread of the disease in nursing homes.
“It gives you a baseline in terms of the resident coming out. Nursing homes need to know whether a person has had, or is Covid positive or not to develop a care plan and the nursing response appropriately.”
It is expected that the updated guidance for testing in these situations will be published on Tuesday.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Long hot weekend: Bank holiday Monday set to be warmest day of the year so far

This bank holiday Monday is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far with a maximum temperature of 27 degrees Celsius forecast for Connacht and west Munster .
Met Éireann says temperatures will hit above 20 Celsius for all of the country on Monday , although it will be cloudier than previous days .
Temperatures on Sunday peaked at 26.5 degrees in Newport , Co Mayo , just below the 26.8 recorded in Mount Dillon , Co Roscommon on Saturday and Thursday , which was the highest temperature so far this year .
Irish Water has appealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water where they can and says it is “ exploring all options ” , including a potential hosepipe ban , to protect water supplies as the warm , dry weather continues .
Some 15 of the national water utility ’ s 900 drinking water schemes have hit “ drought status ” with another 23 at risk of going into drought , Irish Water said on Sunday .
It warned that the increased domestic demand for water , combined with a rise in commercial demand as businesses reopen , was being exacerbated by warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Irish Water reiterated its appeal for people to hand wash kitchen items rather than using power washers and also urged members of the public to use a watering can rather than a hose , to take a shower rather than a bath and to fix any dripping taps .
The warm bank holiday weather also brought a heightened risk of forest fires with a red fire warning in place around the country until Monday evening .
The Department of Agriculture , Food and the Marine issued the warning on Friday , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and called on the public to take “ immediate action ” if a blaze breaks out .
Firefighters continued to tackle blazes in counties Sligo , Clare , Laois and Leitrim on Sunday but successfully brought a large fire , which quickly spread on Saturday in Co Kildare , under control .
More than one hundred hectares of newly planted forest were destroyed in the blaze in Clonagh , Enfield on the Kildare-Meath border with damage worth €150,000 to the area , said Pat Neville , communications manager for Coillte .
Coillte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units from Kildare County Council worked together on Saturday to keep the fire at the forest in Hortland away from a factory which produces explosives for mining and quarrying .
Mr Neville confirmed the fire had been brought under control but that blazes were continuing to spread in other parts of the country .
He urged members of the public not to do any burning outdoors and to immediately report any blazes to the fire services .
“ The conditions for fire are perfect right now – it ’ s dry , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a breeze that fans the fire , ” said Mr Neville .
“ Even a small fire can take hold very quickly , it can really get out of control and cause extreme risk to the public and a real health and safety risk for fire fighters.
” “ People think forest fires start naturally but that just isn ’ t the case , they ’ re nearly always started by people .
Birds and young animals are at particular risk of perishing in the blazes , he added .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wildlife with nests and birds and young animals in dens .
Extreme damage is done to the environment with these fires.
” In Dublin , the Bull Wall wooden bridge was closed to cars over the bank holiday with access remaining opening for pedestrians and cyclists .
Motorists who live on the island or work in a local business can also continue to use the bridge , said a tweet from An Garda Síochána .
The warm weather is set to continue into Tuesday with temperatures between 22-26 degrees in the south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will start to drop into the late teens in northern counties with light patches of rain spreading into the evening .
The warm spell will come to an end on Wednesday with temperatures dropping down into the mid-teens bringing breezy , cooler conditions .

This bank holiday Monday is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far with a maximum temperature of 27 degrees Celsius forecast for Connacht and west Munster.
Met Éireann says temperatures will hit above 20 Celsius for all of the country on Monday, although it will be cloudier than previous days.
Temperatures on Sunday peaked at 26.5 degrees in Newport, Co Mayo, just below the 26.8 recorded in Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon on Saturday and Thursday, which was the highest temperature so far this year.
A woman sits among the flowers in the Botanic Gardens in Dublin as the good weather continues. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
A man lies on Portmarnock beach, Co Dublin, as the warm weather continues. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Irish Water has appealed to members of the public to conserve water where they can and says it is “exploring all options”, including a potential hosepipe ban, to protect water supplies as the warm, dry weather continues.
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Some 15 of the national water utility’s 900 drinking water schemes have hit “drought status” with another 23 at risk of going into drought, Irish Water said on Sunday.
It warned that the increased domestic demand for water, combined with a rise in commercial demand as businesses reopen, was being exacerbated by warm weather and the growth of drought conditions.
Irish Water reiterated its appeal to not use power washers and also urged members of the public to use a watering can rather than a hose for plants, and to take a shower rather than a bath and to fix any dripping taps.
Forest fires
The warm bank holiday weather also brought a heightened risk of forest fires with a red fire warning in place around the country until Monday evening.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued the warning on Friday, saying there was an "extreme fire risk" and called on the public to take "immediate action" if a blaze breaks out.
Firefighters continued to tackle blazes in counties Sligo, Clare, Laois and Leitrim on Sunday but successfully brought a large fire, which quickly spread on Saturday in Co Kildare, under control.
More than one hundred hectares of newly planted forest were destroyed in the blaze in Clonagh, Enfield on the Kildare-Meath border with damage worth €150,000 to the area, said Pat Neville, communications manager for Coillte.
Coillte helicopters, the Irish Air Corps and units from Kildare County Council worked together on Saturday to keep the fire at the forest in Hortland away from a factory which produces explosives for mining and quarrying.
Mr Neville confirmed the fire had been brought under control but that blazes were continuing to spread in other parts of the country. He urged members of the public not to do any burning outdoors and to immediately report any blazes to the fire services.
“The conditions for fire are perfect right now – it’s dry, there’s no rain and there’s a breeze that fans the fire,” said Mr Neville. “Even a small fire can take hold very quickly, it can really get out of control and cause extreme risk to the public and a real health and safety risk for fire fighters.”
“People think forest fires start naturally but that just isn’t the case, they’re nearly always started by people.
Birds and young animals are at particular risk of perishing in the blazes, he added. “This is the most important season for nature and wildlife with nests and birds and young animals in dens. Extreme damage is done to the environment with these fires.”
In Dublin, the Bull Wall wooden bridge was closed to cars over the bank holiday with access remaining opening for pedestrians and cyclists. Motorists who live on the island or work in a local business can also continue to use the bridge, said a tweet from An Garda Síochána.
The warm weather is set to continue into Tuesday with temperatures between 22-26 degrees in the south and the midlands. However, temperatures will start to drop into the late teens in northern counties with light patches of rain spreading into the evening.
The warm spell will come to an end on Wednesday with temperatures dropping down into the mid-teens bringing breezy, cooler conditions.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Catholic priests warn against any rush to reopen churches

The Association of Catholic Priests ( ACP ) has warned against any attempt to reopen churches before public health authorities deem it safe .
The organisation criticised “ cultural warriors ” who had sought to inject “ narrow sectoral interests ” in the debate over when Masses should resume .
This , it said , “ should bother all those committed to the principle of the ‘ common good ’ , a principle integral to Catholic teaching ” .
The organisation said “ aligned , we are safer ” , and it recommended priests avoid “ the 3 Cs ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spaces and close contact ” , as advised by Trinity College Dublin immunologist Prof Luke O ’ Neill .
Fr Roy Donovan of the ACP leadership team said it was “ very strong ” on following the current Covid-19 guidelines “ as advised by experts ” .
The association was , however , “ open to further dialogue ” on the reopening of churches – currently set by the Government for July 20th – and , in particular , on the conduct of funerals .
For bereaved families , funerals over recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left “ very traumatised ” .
It had not been possible , for instance , to hold the usual month ’ s mind Masses , he said .
He recalled recently holding a prayer service in a graveyard at one family ’ s request to mark one month since their relative ’ s death .
“ They said it was very meaningful , even more meaningful [ than a month ’ s mind Mass ] , ” he said .
Bereaved families had been “ extremely helpful ” to priests conducting funerals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fr Tim Hazelwood , also of the ACP leadership team , described as “ appalling ” some comments by Catholic activists and online “ cultural warriors ” who questioned the merits of closing churches in Ireland .
This was particularly the case as so many priests in Ireland were in the vulnerable category where Covid-19 was concerned .
The average age of Irish Catholic priests today is 70 , meaning a very significant number have been cocooning by Government direction over recent weeks .
The ACP , he said , was planning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom lived alone and many who , particularly in rural areas , had become very isolated over recent weeks .
High on the agenda for the Irish Bishops ’ Conference summer meeting this week will be planning the reopening of churches for public worship .
A general framework document for the entire Catholic Church in Ireland is being prepared .
Before being authorised to reopen for public worship , each parish will be obliged to draw up a detailed plan following a specific checklist .
To mark Pentecost Sunday , a cross-denominational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups was launched on YouTube , dedicated to every healthcare worker on the island of Ireland dealing with Covid-19 .
The Irish Blessing video was organised by Philip McKinley , former chaplain at Dublin City University and now in training for priesthood in the Church of Ireland , and Fr Martin Magill , parish priest at the Falls Road and Belfast .
Meanwhile , the new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland , Rev Dr David Bruce , will become the 175th person to hold that office on Monday evening when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live-streamed ceremony due to be attended by just four people , due to Covid-19 restrictions .
As leader of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland , he will hold office for a year .

The Church of St Therese, Mount Merrion, in Dublin: the reopening of churches is currently set by the Government for July 20th. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has warned against any attempt to reopen churches before public health authorities deem it safe.
The organisation criticised “cultural warriors” who had sought to inject “narrow sectoral interests” in the debate over when Masses should resume. This, it said, “should bother all those committed to the principle of the ‘common good’, a principle integral to Catholic teaching”.
The organisation said "aligned, we are safer", and it recommended priests avoid "the 3 Cs", of "closed spaces, crowded spaces and close contact", as advised by Trinity College Dublin immunologist Prof Luke O'Neill.
Fr Roy Donovan of the ACP leadership team said it was "very strong" on following the current Covid-19 guidelines "as advised by experts". The association was, however, "open to further dialogue" on the reopening of churches – currently set by the Government for July 20th – and, in particular, on the conduct of funerals.
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For bereaved families, funerals over recent weeks remained “unfinished business” with many left “very traumatised”. It had not been possible, for instance, to hold the usual month’s mind Masses, he said.
He recalled recently holding a prayer service in a graveyard at one family’s request to mark one month since their relative’s death. “They said it was very meaningful, even more meaningful [than a month’s mind Mass],” he said. Bereaved families had been “extremely helpful” to priests conducting funerals in the current circumstances, he said.
Vulnerable category
Fr Tim Hazelwood, also of the ACP leadership team, described as "appalling" some comments by Catholic activists and online "cultural warriors" who questioned the merits of closing churches in Ireland. This was particularly the case as so many priests in Ireland were in the vulnerable category where Covid-19 was concerned.
The average age of Irish Catholic priests today is 70, meaning a very significant number have been cocooning by Government direction over recent weeks.
The ACP, he said, was planning to launch a helpline for priests, most of whom lived alone and many who, particularly in rural areas, had become very isolated over recent weeks.
High on the agenda for the Irish Bishops’ Conference summer meeting this week will be planning the reopening of churches for public worship.
A general framework document for the entire Catholic Church in Ireland is being prepared. Before being authorised to reopen for public worship, each parish will be obliged to draw up a detailed plan following a specific checklist.
To mark Pentecost Sunday, a cross-denominational video involving more than 300 Irish church groups was launched on YouTube, dedicated to every healthcare worker on the island of Ireland dealing with Covid-19.
The Irish Blessing video was organised by Philip McKinley, former chaplain at Dublin City University and now in training for priesthood in the Church of Ireland, and Fr Martin Magill, parish priest at the Falls Road and Belfast.
Meanwhile, the new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Dr David Bruce, will become the 175th person to hold that office on Monday evening when he is installed in Belfast at a special live-streamed ceremony due to be attended by just four people, due to Covid-19 restrictions. As leader of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, he will hold office for a year.


theirishtimes--2020-05-31--Cork marathon goes virtual in solidarity with asylum seekers

Hundreds of runners , including asylum seekers living in direct provision , took to streets around Ireland on Sunday morning to simultaneously run a leg of the Cork marathon , which was due to the take place this weekend .
Sanctuary Runners , the solidarity-through-sport movement which uses running to bring asylum seekers , refugees and members of wider Irish society together , had arranged for 1,000 runners to take part in the 2020 Cork city marathon .
However , when the marathon was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions , the Sanctuary group decided instead to hold a virtual marathon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leg of the race within their 5km restriction while maintaining social distance with others .
The initiative , which seeks to highlight the 20-year anniversary of the direct provision system , included a four-person relay which took place on the streets of Cork city early on Sunday morning .
The runners – who are from Zimbabwe , Germany , Ethiopia and west Kerry – set off at 6am on Sunday and ran alone while ensuring handovers adhered to social distancing guidelines .
They completed the race by running a newly created marathon route @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national event , who went on solo runs on Sunday morning , included residents form the Cahersiveen direct provision centre in Co Kerry , along with others living in Dublin , Kenmare , Galway , Sligo , Limerick , Waterford , Tramore , Longford , Athlone , Meath , Wicklow , Ennis , Mayo , Tralee and Killarney .
Runners further afield in London , New York and Tokyo also took part in Sunday ’ s event .
Graham Clifford , founder of Sanctuary Runners , said the Cork relay team took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while they couldn ’ t embrace at the end , “ we got that same feeling of camaraderie knowing someone had crossed the finish line on Patrick Street on our behalf ” .
Hana Fasika , an Ethiopian secondary school student living in Cork , said she was delighted to take part and that even though she was running alone she “ knew there were so many people cheering me on in their hearts ” .
Busie Mhlophe , a Zimbabwean resident of the Kinsale road direct provision centre , was running her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sanctuary Runners .
“ It was emotional , it was fun but most importantly it was a sign that no matter what , this community we have built , and are building , can endure anything.
” Niamh Ní Chonchuir , an occupational therapist from west Kerry but living in Cork , said Sunday ’ s run represented the “ strength of the friendship , respect and solidarity ” that exists within the Sanctuary Runners community .
“ It was hot out there , but I never felt alone .
I knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , safely , and that drove me on ” .
Sanctuary runners was established in 2018 to enable Irish residents to run alongside , and in solidarity with , asylum seekers .
As of the end of April there were 7,525 people ( 5,384 adults and 2,143 children ) living in direct provision and emergency accommodation settings around the country .

Hana Fasika, an Ethiopian student living in Cork city, finishing the marathon on Patrick’s Street on behalf of her relay team. Photograph: Clare Keogh
Hundreds of runners, including asylum seekers living in direct provision, took to streets around Ireland on Sunday morning to simultaneously run a leg of the Cork marathon, which was due to the take place this weekend.
Sanctuary Runners, the solidarity-through-sport movement which uses running to bring asylum seekers, refugees and members of wider Irish society together, had arranged for 1,000 runners to take part in the 2020 Cork city marathon.
However, when the marathon was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions, the Sanctuary group decided instead to hold a virtual marathon and encouraged members to run a short leg of the race within their 5km restriction while maintaining social distance with others.
The initiative, which seeks to highlight the 20-year anniversary of the direct provision system, included a four-person relay which took place on the streets of Cork city early on Sunday morning.
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The Sanctuary Runners relay team (clockwise from top left) Hana Fasika, Busie Mhlophe, Peter Hertting and Niamh Ni Chonchuir. The runners ran alone, and the handovers adhered to social distancing guidelines. Photograph: Clare Keogh
The runners – who are from Zimbabwe, Germany, Ethiopia and west Kerry – set off at 6am on Sunday and ran alone while ensuring handovers adhered to social distancing guidelines. They completed the race by running a newly created marathon route within their 5km radius.
Participants in the national event, who went on solo runs on Sunday morning, included residents form the Cahersiveen direct provision centre in Co Kerry, along with others living in Dublin, Kenmare, Galway, Sligo, Limerick, Waterford, Tramore, Longford, Athlone, Meath, Wicklow, Ennis, Mayo, Tralee and Killarney. Runners further afield in London, New York and Tokyo also took part in Sunday's event.
Relay team
Graham Clifford, founder of Sanctuary Runners, said the Cork relay team took “every possible precaution” and that while they couldn’t embrace at the end, “we got that same feeling of camaraderie knowing someone had crossed the finish line on Patrick Street on our behalf”.
Hana Fasika, an Ethiopian secondary school student living in Cork, said she was delighted to take part and that even though she was running alone she “knew there were so many people cheering me on in their hearts”.
Busie Mhlophe, a Zimbabwean resident of the Kinsale road direct provision centre, was running her third Cork city marathon as a member of Sanctuary Runners. “It was emotional, it was fun but most importantly it was a sign that no matter what, this community we have built, and are building, can endure anything.”
Niamh Ní Chonchuir, an occupational therapist from west Kerry but living in Cork, said Sunday’s run represented the “strength of the friendship, respect and solidarity” that exists within the Sanctuary Runners community. “It was hot out there, but I never felt alone. I knew that others were doing the same as me, safely, and that drove me on”.
Sanctuary runners was established in 2018 to enable Irish residents to run alongside, and in solidarity with, asylum seekers. As of the end of April there were 7,525 people (5,384 adults and 2,143 children) living in direct provision and emergency accommodation settings around the country.