Hugs and tears as families reunite at Dublin Airport
IT WAS a sea of tears and hugs at Dublin Airport yesterday as wave upon wave emigrants arrived home for Christmas to their families’ delight.
Among the early-morning arrivals was Julieanne Healy, 26, from Donard, Co. Wicklow, whose mother Esther stood with tears streaming down her face as the daughter she had not seen for five years walked towards her.
‘I have been crying since I got here,’ said Esther between her tears. ‘I couldn’t wait to see her. My heart was pounding. I haven’t seen her in five years but she’s still my daughter.’
Meanwhile, six-year-old Stephanie and four-year-old Carla Venet from Celbridge, Co. Kildare, almost knocked their father Thierry to the ground in their race to welcome him.
The sisters and their brother Matthew came back to Ireland with their mother Christine last summer. ‘We moved over to Portland, Oregon, two years ago for work reasons and Thierry will be moving back here in the summer,’ said Stephanie and Carla’s mother Christine.
Sisters Sophie Cantwell, seven, and Olivia Cantwell, four, from Booterstown in Dublin, decided to wear Santa hats to greet their cousin Hannah Malone.
They were there with Hannah’s mother Margaret, Hannah’s brother Art, and Art and Hannah’s dog Codi.
Hannah, 23, moved to Washington DC last April and since then the politics graduate has been working with a think-tank.
Also arriving in Dublin Airport were Elizabeth Martens and Rory O’Flaherty. They travelled from New York so they can get married in Dublin on New Year’s Eve.