London Christmas for emigrant James
LIKE so many other Irish abroad, Grange man James Feeney had been looking forward to spending Christmas with his family, a small luxury after the year he has had, but, it was not meant to be.
The hotelier who is based in London, instead spent Christmas Day at work with colleagues.
“I was meant to be off, and coming home on the ferry on December 23rd.
“I had planned to drive this year as I thought it would be better than getting public transport,” says the General Manager of Clayton Hotel City of London (pictured right).
The 30 year old had even planned on staying home for longer this Christmas.
“I had holidays saved and I planned on staying home for two weeks. I was coming home to see my Dad, Gerry, my brother Kieran and my sister Caitriona.”
Reality hit for James that he would not be spending Christmas in Sligo after Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation on December 19 th instructing people to stay at home and implementing Tier 4 restrictions for larger parts of London, following concerns over the new strain of the coronavirus.
James had prepared himself for the possible reality of not being able to get home for Christmas and says because of that it eventually did not come as a huge shock when Taoiseach Micheál Martin banned inward travel from the UK until December 31st.
“It didn’t come as that much of a shock. The cases were getting quite bad here and then we heard about the new strain, the reality had sunk in that I wouldn’t be getting home, but you know after the year everyone has had I was looking forward to seeing my family.”
James, who studied Hotel Management in IT Sligo, still counts himself lucky though, as he got home in September for a few days.
“I’m lucky I got home then, I was restricting my movements so I couldn’t do too much but it was nice to be home.”
The hotel manager is also the founder of the Sligo Association of London, a group that is hoping to connect Sligo diaspora in London.
“I decided to set it up last year and a few of us had big plans for 2020, growing the group and organising events, but that was all put on hold.
“But I’m still using the page to provide people with advice on travel and just if people want to talk or are lonely they can contact the page on Facebook.”
He continues, “In London there can be lots of people around but hard to connect when you just arrive here, especially for younger generations. The Irish meet in pubs and through the GAA and we don’t have that now so I hope the page can help connect people.”
James worked throughout the lockdown although the hotel he manages was closed to normal guests.
On March 20 th the hotel closed its doors, but, given its proximity to the Royal London Hospital it provided accommodation to NHS frontline workers.
“We were delighted to look after them,” he says. James says it was strange, given that he had only opened the hotel in 2019 and just a year later had to close the doors.
“It’s been strange. In hospitality you want to spend time chatting to guests, but now you’ve have to limit that contact.”
Instead of sitting around the table for Christmas James spoke to his family virtually, but still hopes he can get back to Sligo sooner rather than later when it is safe to do so.
For anyone wanting to make contact in London you can visit Sligo Association London on Facebook.