It seems like the pandemic has been here for a very long time, says RTÉ News reporter Colman O'Sullivan. So it was great to get some hope last week with the announcement of progress on a vaccine
It's been a tough year for many but I know I’ve been very lucky in that all my family and friends have come through this with (touch wood) no lasting effects and I’ve a job to go to.
Looking at the photos I’ve taken on my phone since the start of 2020 some contrasts stand out. There’s the photos from the election count in Donegal with hundreds of people crammed into one room and tally people standing shoulder to shoulder. So many things that were unremarkable that day, such as people greeting each other with handshakes and hugs are now off-limits.
And then there’s the photo of O’Connell Street on St Patrick’s day. The street that would normally be jammed with people and colour looks so bare. It was eerie at times seeing Dublin so quiet.
I’ve been going out to work all the time, and getting out and about meeting people is the thing I’ve always most enjoyed about my work. Gathering news means we’ve continued to do that while taking all the care we can to keep each other and the people we meet safe. My biggest fear is passing on the virus to my mother who is immune-compromised having had a liver transplant, so that is always an extra incentive to take care. I’m very lucky that we live not too far away from her, so we’ve been able to meet her in the garden or other outdoor spaces throughout.
Both at work and at home, I’ve taken heart from how resilient people have been and how they have cared for each other. All children, ours included, have had their lives turned upside down but have adapted and made the best of it. 
Our youngest, who turned six in July, took advantage of the quiet roads in March to learn how to cycle. Like many families we’ve been enjoying the new coastal mobility route in Dún Laoghaire which is down the hill from us in Sallynoggin (see picture above.)
We’ve always known we’re lucky with our neighbours. The pandemic makes you appreciate all the more kindnesses, like strawberries from James’ garden or treats dropped in for the kids at Hallowe'en.
The highlight of the year was getting up to Donegal in August to spend time with my wife Siobhán’s family. It’s been very hard not being able to get up to see them as often as we normally would. So the two weeks we got up there was a bit special this year and we even got great weather. Some of my family came up too, so getting time together with everyone (at a safe distance) was a tonic.
Books and TV provided other forms of escape. Call My Agent on Netflix where the biggest problems are ways to keep French film stars happy was great light relief. Paris looks amazing, maybe one day we might get to visit it again.
Slí na mBéaglaoich on TG4, which saw Cormac Ó Beaglaoich and his father Breanndán take a road trip up along the west coast, was another highlight. They managed to showcase so many talented musicians in every county they visited and of the course the Donegal episode was our favourite.
It featured the Campbells, fiddlers who live not far from Siobhán’s homeplace. Tá súil agam go mbeidh oíche eile againn le chéile le ceol agus comhrá i dTigh Dinny i nGleann na nGleanntach.
2020 has been a year to forget in many ways but there have been books that will live long in the memory. Apeirogon by Colum McCann is heartbreaking at times but an incredible book and The Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty is a beautifully-written reminder of the healing power of nature.
