Light at the end of this virus tunnel
THERE IS light at the end of the tunnel, despite how dark that tunnel is at the moment. We don’t know how far away the end is but it is out there someplace.
Alas, many may not be around to see the end. We have lost thousands along the way and, tragically, we will lose more.
Fortunately, the vast majority will emerge from it. Some will have been infected along the way while others will be lucky enough to come out unscathed.
At the exit point of the tunnel the likely logic is that many will seek to explore the bright outdoors. The temptation of heading for sunny beaches abroad will be strong. But the thought of getting on a crowded plane for three or four hours will be a step too far for all but the bravest while the memories of the tunnel are still fresh.
Speaking of steps and the bright outdoors, this week’s announcement of €350,000 in government grants for 17 walkways and cycle tracks in Sligo and Leitrim is welcome.
As Ireland emerges from the pandemic, more locals and visitors will look to outdoor recreation activities.
This week’s grant announcement is a just reward for voluntary groups that have been working to develop facilities in their communities. At local authority level, the Sligo Walks network developed by Sligo County Council has taken huge steps in providing walking and hiking trails in Sligo.
There are already about 50 walking trails around the county and the new grant money will enhance these, adding to the enjoyment of our outdoor spaces.
The other good news this week is that Fáilte Ireland has promised to spend €12m on similar projects over the next three years.
As well as the enjoyment of the open spaces there are undoubted health benefits. And rural economies will enjoy greater health in staycation tourism.
Add to all that is the fact that in Sligo we’re living in a unique area in that we have so much beauty around us in relatively rural settings with a large urban centre on our doorstep.
Even while we are in the dark tunnel there are little positives along the way. We are spending more time with family, and parents have more opportunities to connect with kids. Of course, some of this time is taken up with home schooling, with parents taking on the role of teachers – a function they are not trained for.
On the economic side, a national study has found that families are saving more money than ever – by staying home we don’t have the opportunity to spend.
On a different note, I’m happy to say that my mother, who is almost 96 years young, got the Covid jab last Thursday. She said it didn’t hurt or bother her in the least. She was one of those vaccinated in nursing homes in Sligo and Leitrim. My mother’s injection date had been January 25, but it was brought forward.
This time last year there wasn’t a word about Covid in Ireland, apart from a few vague mentions of some unusual virus in China.
Who could have thought then that it would turn our world upside down, and that my 96-year-old mother would be vaccinated against it less than a year on?
Mask wearing is one of the least serious consequences of Covid. But yet when in a public place you look around and see all faces covered, to me anyhow it brings it home that we are in the middle of something very surreal.
Surreal it is, so for now take care in that tunnel. Brian McHugh is the founder and former editor of the Sligo Weekender. He can be contacted at brian.mchugh@sligoweekender.ie