If I am being totally honest, I'm finding this latest lockdown tough, says Darren Frehill
It’s heart-breaking to see so many people lose their lives as a result of Covid. My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose someone in such circumstances.
It’s all the more difficult given we can’t meet to offer support and say goodbye in a meaningful way. Funerals are a sad occasion, but in this country, we celebrate that life by coming together to offer support to each other. It’s a small thing like a hug, a handshake, or even just being there which can bring great comfort to those who are grieving. It’s tragic we can’t give these souls the send-off they all deserve.
It is frightening to see how quickly the numbers spiralled out of control since Christmas. It’s been scary to see extended members of my own family, and some good friends contract the virus. These are people I would see regularly each week in pre Covid-19 times.
I’d consider them fit and healthy people, but they’ve been hit hard, sapped of all energy and life. Some were unable to leave their beds, others struggled to find their breath, so spent some time in hospital. Thankfully all have pulled through and are on the mend now, but it’s opened my eyes to how sick you can get, and how easy this virus was transmitted. Now, more than ever we must all do our bit, and keep ourselves safe.
When you consider what others are going through, I have so much to be thankful for. My crew are all fit and healthy. Yes, it’s a complete mad house but we are pulling through. My wife Joanne and I have three children, Molly (12), Kate (10), Jack (six), and the there's Maggie the dog.
Home-schooling is a challenge as in every household, but the teachers in their school have done an amazing job in organising lessons and given us a really good plan to follow. Combining work and home-school is a real juggling act, but between us all we get there each week. I just hope all kids can get back to the school building real soon. I think children are really missing out. It’s not just the learning, it’s about seeing their friends and working in that classroom environment. It’s vitally important to their development.
The big positive in all of this for me has been the opportunity to work from home. After 20 years in Dublin, my family moved back to Galway in 2016. The kids were at an age where if we left it any longer, we couldn’t have done it. We said we’d try it for a year, but four years on, it’s one of the best decisions we made.
It has been brilliant to return to the west and reconnect with our family and friends. Despite the move, I was still commuting up and down to Dublin maybe three times a week and staying away the odd night too. It was challenging, but we were happy, and it was all worthwhile.
Presenting the sport on Morning Ireland from my sitting room, and hosting Sunday Sport from the RTÉ studio in Galway has been life-changing. During the year when restrictions were lifted, I travelled to Dublin once a week, and checked in with the office, but in the main I was able to broadcast from the west.
It’s afforded me an opportunity to spend so much more time with my young family. I know it doesn’t suit everyone, but I do know others who are in a similar position and I believe there is a real culture shift coming. We’ll see what happens, but it’s really nice for rural people like me who can work remotely, and do as good a job from their home as they did in an office in the city.
I have worked in sports media for over 20 years, but 2020 was by far the strangest of them all. The sporting calendar was decimated during the first lockdown last spring. Sports bulletins on radio and TV were dropped, but we decided to try and keep the sports slot going on Morning Ireland with a daily dip into the RTÉ archive.
The idea was to do it for a month, but such was the response, that it ended up running for four months. Members of the public sent in their special requests for their favourite memory, and I managed to pull the odd little gem from the vaults with the support of the brilliant team in the archive.
It was tremendous fun and it certainly gave me some direction during a difficult time. It was brilliant when live sport returned by the autumn, it helped lift the spirits of a nation, but it just wasn’t the same without the crowds.
I was very proud of the coverage on RTÉ, there was so much uncertainty at the time, and it seemed that the goalposts were constantly being moved. But our team really pulled together to make the coverage as best as we could for those watching and listening at home.
When restrictions were lifted last summer, we as a family made the most of it, we dusted off the tent and went camping in Galway and Mayo. We cycled and walked together like we never did before. I wish I’d recorded all those trips, I’d say we clocked up hundreds of kilometres.
My wife tried sea swimming for the first time and is a convert, she’s even kept it going through the winter. She’s a brave woman, a lot braver than me. My great escape are the mountain ranges of Ireland, and when the restrictions were lifted, I made the most of the freedom by taking in some spectacular climbs in Kerry, Mayo and Galway.
I am a member of the Na Sléibthe Hill-walking club and a couple of members and myself took on climbing all the listed Twelve Bens in Connemara in one day. It was a big ambition of mine and it was one of the highlights of the year hands down. The great outdoors is my passion, and there is nothing like it to maintain a healthy body and mind. I’m doing my best inside the 5km limit, but I’m itching to take on my next big adventure soon.
I have no idea what is coming next, it feels like there is more uncertainty now than there has been throughout this pandemic. The big lesson I have learned is that I will never take family, friends, or the freedom to move around for granted again.
Like everyone, I’m really looking forward to some form of normality returning soon. I’m not even sure what that will look like now, but for me it’s connecting with my family and friends in a meaningful way. Top of my list is a trip to Cork to visit my niece Sophie who was born in November last year. We still haven’t been able to meet her, but as soon as the latest restrictions are lifted, I’ll be on the road south for lots of hugs and cuddles.
Read Darren's first account from April 2020 here
