THE WAY WE WORE, EASTER 2020

In early April 2020 we were four weeks into our first ever Lockdown, Easter almost upon us, and I, like so many others, was apparently in need of some feeling of connection. Anything at all. I just missed people. I posted a spontaneous little video to Instagram suggesting that it might be a nice idea to document who we were at this moment, in this period like no other that would surely become one of the most significant times in history. Certainly, it was to be an Easter like no other before or again in the future (surely??).

I came up with The Way We Wore: a sort of virtual time capsule capturing who we were when: a snapshot of what we wore; who we were; where we were residing; how we were spending our days - if you wanted to give all those details. A standalone pic was just as welcome. Social history in the making because let’s face it, 2021 would be the furthest thing imaginable from this setup. Ah, we could taste the chocolatey freedom….

Thank you so much to those of you that did get involved and send on your photos. I’ve smiled looking back at your lovely happy faces - it just doesn’t seem like it could be a full 12 months since they first arrived to my inbox!

Below is our snapshot: The Way We Wore, Easter 2020.

Irene x

RUTH

I am wearing a Stine Goya star dress with velvet Mary Janes and a floral scarf by Erdem. I'm drinking pink gin and plant I'm hugging is sunflower seeds which I planted when we first went into lockdown which are already sprouting shoots! Here's to summer beginning, cheers!

I have mainly been in touch with friends and family on WhatsApp and on Google Duo for video chats with the family, I love this as I get to see my little niece Aarya on video, she has just learned to walk and is flying around in a pair of super cute yellow wellies in her garden in Vancouver.

EATING: We are eating lots of great dinners these days as we have some more time and we take it in turns , I have taught Donal how to make soup, roast chicken and pork with apple and rosemary, he can't believe how easy it is to make these.

LISTENING TO: I love Happier by Gretchen Rubin but this weekend have rediscovered The High Low.

VIEWING: Myself and Donal are watching reruns of Seinfeld. I was never a fan of the programme in the 1990s but watching through the whole entire series at this stage I can see how amazing it is and how well written. My favourite character is George and the show makes me nostalgic for the 1990s when we all had landlines and life (seemed) to be simpler and more innocent.

READING: Isabel Allende, The Japanese Lover and The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnhim. I always have a few books on the go and switch between them.The Enchanted April has been on my bookshelf for a crazy amount of time and I never got to read it. Its about 4 women in the 1930s spending April in a castle in Italy its surprisingly feminist as the women leave their husbands for a while to go and rest and enjoy Italy. While its not in any shape or form an Enchanted April right now its nice to think about sunnier times and to think about how beautiful Italy is and send them love at this very hard time.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: I love a Cadburys Cream eggs and Lidl's dark chocolate with raspberry, I have had a few choc eggs today. Donal did an Easter egg hunt for me in the living room which was super cute.

Jen Fahy.jpg — JEN (Toronto)

Here's a selfie, aged 29, from my apartment in Toronto. Just me and the foster cat here at the moment.
EATING: I will be eating something from my food prep delivery service, Good Food, once I cook that up.

COMMUNICATING: I have been in touch with my family for a quiz via Zoom and Kahoot and with some friends via Google Duo.

VIEWING: I did watch the final episode of Tiger King on Netflix (to my shame).
READING: I am reading a hardback book called "The Blondes" by Emily Schultz which is about a disease carried only by blonde women causing them to become violent. I am not intentionally reading pandemic fiction during a pandemic

LOCKDOWN TREAT: My treat during lockdown is Cadbury's mini eggs, because they're the only halfway decent chocolate in Canada!

JEN - 2021 UPDATE

A lot has happened in a year (along with all that has not happened). I've gone through many phases - knitting, movies, reading. I've done a lot of introspection, and feel like I have a better grasp on me as a person. I went on a once-in-a-lifetime road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. Despite my best efforts, I got Covid-19 on a hiking trip. I am eternally grateful to have (mostly) recovered. I spent my first Christmas away from family, and away from Ireland. I directed a play on Zoom (after helping the playwright adapt it), with two sold-out performances. I turned 30, and people went to great lengths to fill my day with love and joy, from a distance. I moved into my very own apartment, for the very first time.

WEARING: Ideally I would have given you a similar full-length photo, but I've moved apartments and the lighting wasn't playing ball. So you have one of me laughing, trying to get every part of what has become my uniform over the past year, the jumper-sweatpants-and-slippers-combo, into frame (can't possibly leave out the sausage dog slippers - every little thing that brings us joy is important these days), and one where you can just see the impressive hair growth and the Grá geansaí from Afew Focail (wearing it makes me feel closer to home).

COMMUNICATING: For Easter Sunday, I will be calling my parents to have the chats, and hear about how their first jab of the Pfizer vaccine went.

VIEWING: I will be watching Normal People (I know, I'm late to the game, but I am LOVING it, although seeing Dublin makes me homesick), and the reliable RuPaul's Drag Race.

READING: I am reading a lot at the moment (although I never did finish "The Blondes", couldn't deal with the pandemic fiction in the end), but the main one is "Notes on a Nervous Planet" by Matt Haig. His thoughts on connection and disconnection in the digital age strike a particularly powerful chord these days.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: My treat during lockdown has moved from Cadbury's mini eggs to Kinder mini eggs - this is because my bout of Covid has left me with parosmia, a disorder affecting taste and smell (see the charity AbScent for more information - this is fairly common post-Covid, and while there's not much we can do for now, it's nice to connect with other people and know you're not alone). Most chocolate now tastes rotten to me, which was a massive blow to my comfort eating, until I recently discovered these Kinder eggs that taste normal. I promptly bought four bags. And have eaten two.

JOAN

I have a lovely story to go with my pics!
One taken on the 12th April 1980 and the other taken on Easter Sunday 12th April 2020. Joan and Keith Finnegan
40 years ago on the same day as Easter Sunday was this year - the 12th April 1980 - I went to my boyfriend Keith’s debs (valedictory). I was 15 and he was 17! We married at 21 and 23 and are still very happily married. We are now 55 and 57.
Anyway we decided to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Debs by dressing up in our finery and making a night of it. There was only our 27 year old son in the house with us, he having returned from London 2 weeks previously as he has been temporarily laid off due to the covid virus. He came home to Ireland and self isolated in an old farmhouse of the family’s for 14 days and only moved back in Easter Sunday so he was there to take the pic.
We had Alexa play us music from the 1980s and we had a lovely dinner and danced in the kitchen afterwards here in Corcullen, Co. Galway.
We actually had such fun!
EATING: Cooked a full Irish for brunch
Keith made a seafood salad for our dinner.

COMMUNICATING: Spent time with our son Aidan who had just spent 14 days in isolation as he had returned from London, having been temporarily laid off due to Covid19. My 97 year old Dad, Willie Andrew and I had a WhatsApp video call from his nursing home. My daughter Katie and I had a WhatsApp conversation and I also sent and replied to various texts wishing us/them a Happy Easter.
LISTENING: Galway Bay FM in the morning-time. Then during dinner we listened to 80s music.
VIEWING: 'Line of Duty' at the moment on Netflix, The Nest on BBC and Grey's Anatomy.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: My 'treat' is getting to spend more time actually chilled out. Life is busy generally with everything and this time is allowing me to slow down and smell the roses. I am baking more, probably eating more, but I am more chilled and I am definitely happy.

Mitchell (MELBOURNE)

Pictured with Bull (and Louis the dog).
Shared to Insta:
Taking up @ireneobrienstyle ❣️The Way We Wore❣️challenge to capture Easter 2020 👕👖🐇 I haven’t worn this #romper before, but what better time to debut it @allybally86 😘 #mensfashion #romperjack @aquila_est1958 #quarantinefun

JUSTINE

That’s a picture of me, Justine King, a 32 year old freelance fashion stylist from Dublin. The fancy room I sit in juxtaposes with my clothing style as it’s my parents’ “Good Room” that rarely gets used except for special days like Easter Sunday! I had planned on wearing something fancy and bright but honestly after the effort of putting on a full face of makeup for the first time in 5 weeks I didn’t have the energy for a bra and pants that actually fasten so opted for Spanx leggings and my oversized Karl Lagerfeld jumper. The boots were added for the pic, I’ve worn nothing but slippers for weeks.
EATING: So far today I’ve eaten a fry up (sausages, fried eggs, rashers, the works!) I’ll be devouring some Cadbury’s Easter Egg soon.
DOING: I am hosting a surprise virtual hen party for a pal this evening whose real hen party next week is cancelled. We have delivered prosecco, gin, cheese, flowers etc to her house and the theme is Harry Potter (she’s obsessed) so I’ll be swapping this look for a Hogwarts homemade uniform shortly.
VIEWING: way less Netflix than I would have expected during isolation. We did watch “When Harry Met Sally” this week but it took 4 sittings as we kept falling asleep!
READING: “Her Every Fear” by Peter Swanson (as a physical book, I hate the idea of a Kindle; the world doesn’t need any more screens!)
LOCKDOWN TREAT: wine but trying to avoid it at least on a Monday and Tuesday to try keep some sort of normal order!

ELAINE

My sister Justine shared your email. We are Irish living in San Antonio, Texas with our three girls Sienna, 5; Rowan, 2 & Indie 6 weeks who was born just as all this craziness was starting in the US (& Ireland).

WEARING: We dressed up the girls today - even though we are just staying home & won’t see anyone.

EASTING: We did cook a large leg of lamb and split it with our older neighbors (Irish American couple in their 70s) but they just picked up from the doorstep leaving cookies and Irish soda bread for us.

COMMUNICATING: Lots of WhatsApp messages with friend groups and family. We usually do a lot of FaceTime but today we were happy in our little bubble and will reconnect with family again tomorrow. We did send lots of videos and voice tags to my family.

LISTENING: Passenger & some chill Spotify playlists while cooking (mainly country music - my husband was in control)

VIEWING: Trolls World Tour (started streaming Friday instead of cinema release).. got our value as kids watched 4 times in the 48 hours!

LOCKDOWN TREAT: Sneaking away to work our on our peloton bike. Food wise it’s delicious ‘healthy/paleo’ dark chocolate called Hu Chocolate. Otherwise it’s baking bread and scones and enjoying them with lots of Kerrygold.

As you can see from the photos my middle does not like to do anything she’s told to - especially pose for a picture!!

CHARLIE & SONNIE (MELBOURNE)

CHARLIE & SONNIE - 2021 UPDATE

We feel so, so blessed to be living here [in Melbourne] and know how lucky we are to have zero cases.

Last Easter we were in the midst of the harshest lockdown rules in the world and life was incredibly stressful with kids being home-schooled and trying to work full-time in that same home!

We are praying that we get through this winter without any further lockdowns and we pray that the rest of the world gets to be where we are very soon!

We are dying to see our families in Ireland and interstate here in Australia xxx

Ann

Here are a few pics of me and hubby Jim on Easter Sunday. We decided to spend it in our caravan in the driveway since we can’t go away anywhere! We dressed up for dinner. Jim’s still working but I’m getting far too used to gardening clothes!

EATING: Roasted Chicken pieces with Thai Salad

COMMUNICATING: Chatting to my Mum by phone and my girls by WhatsApp video call

LISTENING: YouTube - played Name that Tune with Hubby with music from the 70s and 80s

VIEWING: The Medici new season - Netflix - loved it!

READING: Skin Deep by Liz Nugent - brilliant as all her books are!

LOCKDOWN TREAT: Ooooh time to fess up! :) Gin & Tonic, red wine, crisps & peanuts!

(Special mention for Lockdown activities: cooking, gardening, dressmaking, knitting)

Emma

I suggested [to my family] we all dress up and have a nice Easter lunch. I love looking back on the fashion during big moments in time, I even did my history special topic on the impact WW2 had on fashion in the 1940s for my leaving cert!

I’m still trying to put a nice outfit together every day working from home, I love the sweatpants life but I find I make no distinction between work and home time then! It’s nice to have the additional excuse of a holiday this weekend to put on a dress and do something to my hair!

I’m in my family home at the moment with my mum, dad, sister Amy and our dog Bailey (who had to be front and centre in the shot!) We had a casual brunch in our pjs, pancakes and mimosas and then dressed up for dinner before watching Knives Out (which I highly recommend if you haven’t seen it) and eating lots of chocolate!

ALICE & SIMON: 2021 UPDATE

Lockdown in Melbourne lifted briefly in June and we got engaged on a winter weekend getaway. Then we were put back into lockdown, which lasted until November. But now life is completely normal and the only thing that reminds us of the ongoing pandemic is fact that the borders are closed. Oh, and that we have had to push back our Bali wedding twice! Fingers crossed all will go ahead in 2022 though.

Kate 2.jpg — KATE (WITH ALICE & LUCY)

Today we dolled ourselves up, I wore a comfortable long dress, showed off a little leg, and because we're in lockdown I donned the black Nike Tanjuns with it.

With 2 little girls, I obviously went all out, Alice 4yrs also had her make up done for the day. Alice wore a stunning new pixie collar dress from the shop Petit on Merrion Road (a gift from grandad) safe to say it was more expensive than my Silkfred dress but so worth having its first outing as an inning. Lucy 2yrs wore my favourite dress of Alice's, gorgeous Monsoon number, love hand-me-downs in this house.

Easter to me is the most special time of the year, since I can remember it's been celebrated within my family with more importance than Christmas. I have spent every Easter in my Nanny Ryan's house (now my mum’s house), the amazing decorations, the Easter egg hunts, the egg & spoon race (participants from 2yrs -80yrs) it's always the most fun.

That's until today, we're still celebrating but with a difference, I've done my best to decorate ( I even ironed the table runner!) doll ourselves up, keep spirits high but it’s emotional and hard. We have spoken to everyone in the family today, thank god for video calls.

I hope this is the last Easter in my home, I'm looking forward to getting back to mum’s house to continue the tradition as it started, and hope in the years to come my girls will celebrate Easter the same way.

P.S Menu for today:Roast Beef , goose fat potatoes, carrots , marrowfat peas, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, horseradish sauce. Jelly & Ice cream and of course Easter Eggs !!!

CAROL (with evie & Abbie)

My name is Carol Dunne, living in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.

I’m married and mother to two little girls, Evie 1 and a half and Abbie 3 and a half.

EATING: We had roast lamb cooked by my husband, he is unreal in the kitchen so does most of the cooking! There was a lot of Easter eggs eaten too !! We did an Easter egg hunt with the girls and just chilled out all day.

DOING: My mam and sister called to say hi to the girls through the window! I cant wait for the restrictions to lift so we can visit my family properly. Shane’s mum lives with us so the girls get to see her all the time which is great, especially at the moment.

WATCHING: Shrek with girls and Andrea Boceilli’s live from Milan that evening. We are rewatching Entourage at the moment so watched a few episodes that night.

READING: I have only started reading again since the covid 19 lockdown. Wouldn’t really have any preference for author so just pick up what’s recommended to me. Currently reading Keep your eyes on me by Sam Blake.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: Wine, chocolate and a walk on my own!! I usually work out of the house 5 days week so working from home while entertaining the kids is full-on. They are great kids but are at a busy age and really demand your attention so a walk on my own or a glass of wine at the weekend is very much needed to unwind.

I have included two photos which Shane took. The one with the kids is a bit mad, there are things in the background that I would have moved out of the pic if I could have enticed the girls to sit still for another photo but such is our life!!!

Michelle

(Taken with the SLR on the camera stand and everything …in the "good room"!)

Easter Sunday 2020 The McThompson Household: Doug, Michelle & Liam.
After almost two years back home in Ireland my Australian husband still does not understand the get the Irish obsession with formality around Catholic occasions even in households that don't actually practice religion.
I donned a dress for the second time since lockdown and put my 3yr old into a nice shirt whereas Aussie boy is wearing bleached stained shorts and a tee (at least it wasn't the one he slept in).
It’s a rainy day after a cracker of a day yesterday so we're confined indoors.
Our day has revolved around food, a good ould fry up for brekkie, some hot cross buns for lunch with a nice cuppa and the roast leg of lamb is in the oven (far larger than needed for a family of three), we'll be having lamb sandwiches for days. Of course this is with copious amounts of chocolate before during and after these feeds. I've even peaked my domestic goddess scale (albeit low standards) and baked a lemon syrup cake for dessert with cream and raspberries to top it off.
Missing family and friends as we should have been hosting my Dad and his wife and surprised them with an unexpected visit my brother, his Scottish wife and my five nephews from France.
But we're feeling very blessed to be safe and well, having lots of quality time with each other

Catherine & John

Catherine sent her pics to represent the ‘Cocooners’ in Carrigeen (near Two Mile House, Kildare)

Naomi 2.jpg — NAOMI

Pic is of me wearing my fave top. It was my mothers, she got it made by Thomas Wolfangle in the 80s. I redesigned it, as it tie was originally at the bottom of the top, tied at the side, al la Dynasty or Dallas in the 8os
Eating: Roast chicken… with bubbles too!
Doing: Painting my bedroom; will be having a quiz on zoom tonight With my family, in London, Valencia, Melbourne, Dublin and Cork.
Listening: Classic FM top 100 Hall of Fame and will be tuning into Andrea Bochelli at 6pm for his concert. With a good dose of 70s disco in between.
VIewing: Can’t stop watching the you tune clip of Peyo the Heart Horse. it’s so beautiful,
Reading: Costume and Fashion, a Concise History, James Laver
Lockdown treat: Watching Belgravia guilt free with a glass of red wine

Ailbhe, Aoibh and Fiadh

We are Ailbhe (4), Aoibh (1) and Fiadh (3) and this is us on Easter Sunday morning in our house in Co. Clare.

Our auntie thought, because we were looking so festive today, that we should send you a snap for your Time Capsule ideal. It will be so fun to look back on when we're grown-ups, years from now.

We spent the day eating lots and lots of chocolate- bunnies, buns and eggs!

We also video chatted on Zoom and Whatsapp with our Grandparents, as well as our Aunties, because we needed them to see our pretty Easter dresses!

We danced off some of the sugar, copying the guys on GoNoodle and then we chilled out watching Tangled on Disney+.

BLYTHE

Taken on April 12, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, in my room in my apartment at Lower Sherbourne and Queens Quay.

The mirror and vanity are my great-grandmother’s, who lived through the Spanish Flu (incidentally!). My roommate and I are getting regular deliveries of freesias, which you can see in the background –it’s been so helpful to have fresh flowers in the house! I’m a 33-year-old Actor, and have found for the past two weeks of quarantine that I’m in the mood to wear jeans every day. If only to prove they still fit!

I put on some makeup today, to feel more like a human, so there is a makeup selfie in my kitchen as well. You can see a teapot with a tea cozie on it - there is always a pot of tea on the go here!

EATING: I started off the day with Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla cereal, topped with blueberries and strawberries, with vanilla almond milk. Early Grey tea (milk and sugar)

Lunch was tomato soup and homemade oat bread

Dinner was a White Lady Cocktail and quiche, with strawberry rhubarb cobbler for dessert.

DOING: I was chatting with my pal Jen, who had arranged a game this week. Every day she would give us a random (to us not her!) phone number, and we’d spend the day texting with them to get to know them. At the end of the week we then had to guess who we had been chatting with! Today was the big reveal – which was on Google Hang Outs. I also had a cocktail date with a pal, which was on Facebook video chat.

But I prefer chatting on the phone during this pandemic, generally speaking.

LOCKDOWN: Today was a Jann Arden and Jewell kind of day….

VIEWING: I’m watching Sex Education on Netflix on my laptop, and also theatre shows that have been taped. Tonight, it’s Fleabag! I loved the TV show and am so excited to see the show that it was based on!

READING: Just finished Sarah Ruhl’s “100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write: On Umbrellas and Sword Fights, Parades and Dogs, Fire Alarms, Children, and Theater’ and rereading A Discovery of Witches, both in book format. I’m also reading the play ‘The Inheritance’ by Matthew Lopez on an e-reader.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: Cocktails and baking - So on-trend hahaha!

AOIFFE

Thank you for making me get properly dressed and putting on make up for the first time since my little fellow’s christening in January!

This photo is myself, my 3 year old Elise and 7 month old Nicholas.

EATING: a lot of chocolate (not the baby) and having roast chicken for dinner followed by jelly and ice cream.

VIEWING: the original Peter Pan on Disney plus for the 4th time this week and then maybe I will get to watch Easter Parade.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: it is a shower or having a cuppa when my hubby takes the kids for a walk. Managed to paint my nails during the week which was a great treat.

DOING: We have been in touch with our parents and siblings today on WhatsApp, exchanging photos and lots of friends trying to keep spirits up!

URSULA (WITH ADAM & LUCY)

Here's a few pics of me and the children from today. Adam and Lucy are 5 year old twins born 2 weeks apart. Adam was born at 23 weeks and Lucy stayed put for another 2 weeks. This theme has continued through their life so far as Adsm is *always* the 1st out of the bed in the morning and Lucy loves staying where she is

I had planned to wear a different outfit today but I had 2 weeks of holidays in South Africa early March (before the crazy-crazy) then I came home and isolated for 2 weeks, then we had lockdown which have all added to me gaining a huge 2 stone in 6 weeks we've also bought and moved house on 2nd April which has been another stressful task to undertake considering we had no childcare anymore, we couldn't rent a truck or hire a removal company and the majority of our furniture and belongings are currently in storage. That we have no access to.

I've also been made temporarily redundant from my job which I guess isn't the best time to sign on the dotted line for a mortgage!

But weirdly, despite everything going on in the world right now I feel very happy in myself. My parents, who I haven't touched in 6 weeks now, are happy and healthy. My sister is going out of her mind trying to work from home and I don't have that problem right now. But she is grand, just whingy. My husband is a guard and he is very calm about everything and the kids are loving having us both home for longer as his shift has changed. Our kids are young enough that I don't have to do school work as such, we do colouring, writing and baking every day. We walk the park and look for animals. We put our watery hands on the tarmac and see how quick it disappears. We also watch a lot of telly, I won't lie!

Today we woke up at 7am and ran downstairs to eat some choccie. Then we made The Grill Of Champions otherwise known as Superquinn sausages, Clonakilty pudding, rashers and poached eggs.

For lunch/dinner we had roast leg of lamb, gravy, mint sauce, roasted potatoes in duck fat, honey roasted carrots and parsnips, mushy peas, brocolli and stuffing. The kids ate none of it but at least I've plenty of leftovers for my mum

I've stopped watching hours of CNN/Sky News because it is just not helpful in any shape or form. I try to limit a quick scan of the headlines in the morning and then the RTE news at 6pm or 9pm. I don't know what a podcast is! I love shoving my head in a book but this moving house business with only 2 cars and 1 van, either of which has to have children in it at all times is a great distraction and time waster.

Edel King.JPG — EDEL KING

As introduced by her daughter:
In this picture is Edel King in her garden, who is 65 and isolating at home with a full house made up of her husband, two daughters, son in law and grandson!
She is eating a thai chicken curry later (would usually have the family over for roast lamb but we've had plenty of family dinners of late!). She has been in touch with family members and friends via Whatsapp so far and will have a Facetime call with grandchildren in America later.
She has listened to her husband's newly made playlist of chilled favourite tunes on Spotify, making playlists is a new found skill of theirs since isolation!
Enjoying movies on Netflix and recently added Apple TV which is a nice new selection of TV and movies to choose from. Also sitting down shortly to watch the old movie "Easter Bonnet" on RTE with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland.
She is reading "The Confession" by Jessie Burton in a physical book but also uses a kindle for book club.
Lockdown treats are morning coffee and evening wine!
Loving sharing "Zoom" drinks once a week with another couple, something that may continue after lockdown with friends that don't live close by

FIONA

WEARING: Eldest son Matthew he is 5 - obsessed with short sleeves and so that’s all he wears!
His brother Ross is 3 and idolises his brother so as a consequence emulates everything he does . He is wearing a yellow tee and red jeans which we consider dressed up in this house .
We wanted to make an effort for Easter and so thank-you for inspiring it all Irene x
My Dad is 73 name Nicholas - real name Benjamin Button. Thinks he is bullet proof and probably is . He loves a good jumper and chino of the Gant variety, he has the place shining since Covid and right now he is just after lighting the fire ...
As you know I also work in fashion and most days it’s a struggle to get out of gym gear to be honest, that being said the days I do, I am taking more time over selection and the finishing touches ( makeup and even earrings ) today i am wearing a gorgeous comfy jumpsuit.

EATING: I haven’t eaten a thing yet as we are getting takeout from our local ( bulgaden castle ) to save me cooking for the millionth day in a row
I will be eating Lamb, drinking red wine and my neighbour cousin and one of my closest pals made me a sponge as I gave her a lend of the rings needed to make it ! ( only thought it fair )
The boys are in their second egg ( noon as I write this )
COMMUNICATING WITH: What’s app to my girl pals , mainly and some Instagram likes / messages / stories
DOING: Studying the science of well being and catching up with it on my laptop, today’s focus is on happiness and what really makes us happy , and how we can affect it
WATCHING: Netflix. Just finished how to fix a drug scandal -
READING: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NG (on Kindle)
LOCKDOWN TREAT: I live for nice dinners that I plan along with a glass or 5 or Faustino Rioja

Wileys 1.jpg — IAN, CLARE AND TESS

As told by Clare:
I’m the only one that got dressed today as you can see. Tess is in her pjs, Ian In his loungewear.
DOING: I saw my folks through the glass of their front door and also Nana Marie through a window.
Our friend Tara came to visit us over the balcony. Tess couldn’t believe “real life Tara” was here as she has only spoken to her on WhatsApp video calls for the last few weeks. The excitement!
VIEWING: We have watched (so far) High School Musical 1&2 for the hundredth time this week.
EATING: We had our lamb dinner yesterday as the weather was so good we bbq’ed.
Today we had hamburgers and chips in bed and numerous Easter eggs.

SISTERS CAROLINE & KATHY

As told by Kathy:

We watched the Judy Garland movie, Easter Parade and had some Bucks Fizz.

I made chocolate cake for after our roast dinner later.

We've had a really relaxing day preparing dinner and listening to Motown and crooner tunes! Midweek we wear our gym and yoga gear as we do Joe Wicks PE every day.

Then we make sure to get dressed up Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. But we'll always put one pyjamas day in too!

I do a full week's schedule for my boys who are 6 and 8, including school work and creative activities. We really stick to it and the routine is great. It still leaves the grown ups with plenty of time to read, bake and do gardening.

Our days have luckily been really full and pass quickly and enjoyably.

AVRIL (WITH GARRET & FELIX)

WEARING: Clothes are Lennon Courtney, earrings Betty and biddy and scarf by LEAF .. slippers my own

EATING: We are making a big rib roast , roast potatoes and making Yorkshire puddings for the first time. Felix had cheesy toast , his favourite ️

DOING: Spoke with all of my family by phone and video chatted with Granny and GrumpA and several of our friends.

LISTENING: Left Alone by Lennon Courtney, and bit of the Fureys for the day that’s in it a good dance session to the Weekend earlier too.

WATCHING: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory from the 70s on the tv from google play.

READING: I’m re-reading give birth like a feminist by milli hill

LOCKDOWN TREAT:

Wine and dressing up!

SASHA & WINONA (AGE 3)

EATING: We are having potato cake and fish for dinner.

DOING: We have spoken to Daddy, who took this picture. And my mother-in-law, better known as Nana, on FaceTime.

LISTENING: I have listened to the Waxahatchee album Saint Cloud on repeat.
We haven’t been watching much of anything! We have been chatting a lot in the evenings.
READING: Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
LOCKDOWN TREAT: A lunchtime nap!

SIOMHA

I am wearing an old Zara dress that I bought a few years ago. I had wanted it for a while and when it went on sale I nabbed it for less than €20. I take it out every summer and wear it religiously, for work, weekends, holidays. I am also wearing gold pearl drop earrings by Irish brand Inner Island and a Céline initial necklace that I wear every day. No shoes.

I have been living in jeans and jumpers the past few weeks so wanted to use Easter Sunday to get more dressed up. With yesterday's warm weather I thought of this dress and even though it's a bit duller today, it doesn't really matter as I am inside anyway! I am isolating in my small one bedroom apartment in Smithfield, Dublin 7 with my boyfriend.

EATING: My family is not religious but Easter is always an occasion for us anyway - my Dad loves any excuse to get the family together for a Sunday roast! So this year is a little different not being able to be together. Luckily for me, my boyfriend Shane is a chef so he is busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. He decided to do roast pork belly, pomme puree (which I'm told is a fancy name for Mashed potatoes) and braised kale. For dessert, pear, almond and hazelnut friand with creme cru. For breakfast and lunch, Cadburys chocolate eggs. I've spent the day reading and chatting to family.

READING: I pre-ordered Irish author Naoise Dolan's debut novel 'Exciting Times' a couple of months ago and it landed on my kindle today. V good timing! I've been mostly reading hard copy books for the past few weeks but will probably run out soon so will order more on my kindle.

LISTENING: My boyfriend is on music duty, when he's cooking he tends to play a mix of old disco, funk and some jazz.

DOING: I had an hour and a half group phone call via what's app with my two sisters earlier today. Saoirse lives in Sydney with her partner and baby and Liadh is isolating with her boyfriend’s family in Marino, Dublin 3. We chatted for ages about how we are all finding the isolation period, how scary the world feels at the moment but how lucky we all are to be safe and comfortable in our homes when not everyone has that luxury. We lamented about the sacrifices we've all had to make and the disappointments we've faced (a cancelled wedding, a postponed move to a new country, work being shut down) but we also spoke about the future and made plans for ourselves together and separately. We laughed a lot. It was exactly the tonic I needed on a day when it would be easy to feel a bit down, missing family and friends.

I also spoke to my brother who called me to check in, say hello and ask for my advice on a project he is thinking of starting while he has a bit more down time. He has a one year old son who he did an Easter egg hunt for this morning; there were lots of teddy rabbits involved which he was very happy about as they are his favourite.

I've chatted in a group what's app where my siblings share pictures and videos of our four nieces and nephews. I loved seeing how they are spending their day and it's such a good way to keep in touch while we can't visit each other. I spoke to my mam briefly on the phone this morning and will probably speak to my dad on the phone after dinner.

MAEVE & BETH

EATING: So we had a giant breakfast today, as we'd usually have been with one of our families for dinner. That kept us going for most of the day, now we're ordering pizza :D Because I'm vegan and Paul's lactose intolerant, we never really do the eggs thing. I do miss them though.

DOING: Lots of Whatsapp texts with the family, sending pics of Beth. My brother bit the bullet and let his girlfriend cut his hair, so we got a live feed of that! Going to call my parents now to check in. We Zoom sometimes, but for a one on one video call, i like good ol'fashioned Whatsapp.

LISTENING: Obsessed with podcasts these days. Got through an Adam Buxton and Mother of Pod today, then Paul had a Pod Save America on in the background. I've signed up for David McWilliams Macroeconomics course on his Patreon, looking forward to getting stuck into that. His podcast is brill for non-alarmist and interesting info about coronavirus and its effects on the economy.

VIEWING: We've a few things on the go... LOVE First Dates, though the Irish one is finished now :( Watched Love is Blind (ridiculously amazing), Tiger King (hated it) and Babies (so interesting), all Netflix.

READING: REAL LIFE BOOK! I'm a member of local library, and love taking books out. Currently reading The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis.

LOCKDOWN TREAT:

Too many :-o We've been boozing pretty hard, lots of red wine. Popcorn is also especially delicious these days, as is dark chocolate. With a baby though, the real treat is getting out for that solo-within-2km-walk!!!

PAULA

I dressed up (1970s vintage dress)… but changed back into my lockdown uniform of joggers and sweatshirt later

I'm home alone but spoke to my family via WhatsApp text and calls, also spoke to my work colleagues via WhatsApp, and some friends.

Ate everything!

SARAH

EATING: We did a Christmas-themed dinner on the Saturday night so there were lots of left overs on Sunday! We had a fry up for breakfast and then turkey curry for dinner! We had Easters eggs all day too - a Bailey’s salted caramel egg, a Maltesers egg, a galaxy chocolate egg and lots of mini cream eggs too.

IN TOUCH WITH: I was in the house with my flat mates and we all chatted together. It was my mom’s birthday on Easter Sunday so I had a FaceTime call with her and my sister and my dad who were together in Dublin - I live in London. I did a zoom call with my college friends for one of their hen parties - we did a life drawing excercise and a quiz. I did a second zoom call with my school friends and I was Whatsapping everyone else I know all day!

LISTENING TO: a disco playlist on Spotify - Chic, Sister Sledge, Diana Ross - the greats!

VIEWING: I am watching Friday Night Lights (the series) on Netflix and all the old Disney cartoons on Disney plus. The Little Mermaid, The Rescuers and Moana and Brave. We have it all on the TV.

READING: Such a Fun Age - in book form! I don’t have a kindle.

LOCKDOWN TREAT: Almost sad to say - a cold glass of white wine as the sun sets. We get sun on our balcony around 6pm and have sundowners outside in our coats every evening! Got to get out in that sun while we can!

SHARLEEN

EATING: Porridge with coconut yogurt and honey
CHATTING TO: My family, Brother, mum and Dad all via Whatsapp
LISTENING TO:
How I built this
Elizabeth day - How to fail
All songs considered
Where should we begin - Esther Perel

VIEWING: Started watching Topboy which is fantastic - Netflix
READING: women who run with the wolves
Audiobook - The subtle art of not giving a fuck
LOCKDOWN TREAT: Wine at the weekends, Good Coffee and Aesop hand-wash and hand moisturiser - honestly the smell sends me to heaven

AMANDA

Easter Sunday 2020 just so happened to be our 'legal" wedding anniversary - as we got married in Spain last June, we had to do the legal bit in advance. The plan was to do it very low key, just a bit of paperwork with just our 2 witnesses, and an excuse to go for a few beers with a gang after. But it turned out to be a pretty emotional thing, and the best day of craic and laughs.

My husband was adamant that we not celebrate this as an anniversary,as he felt it takes away from our wedding. But with the lockdown taking over, I feel we should celebrate anything we can!

I put on the dress I wore that day (a panic buy from phase eight at 9pm the night before), piled on the make-up, and made the hair nice and big.

We ordered takeaway Italian, and drank Moet, then had a virtual game of Cards Against Humanity with 4 of our best pals. Not an Easter egg to be had though!

LAURA - 2021 UPDATE

Maggie joined us in August 2020. We live in South Australia so we are incredibly lucky to be in one of the places least affected by Covid. The main impact it has had on us is that Maggie has not met any of our families. I send a huge amount of videos and photos home but I sometimes think that makes it harder.
We did however make it to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago and Maggie met (our) squad which will keep us going until Nana, Granny, Pop, etc. get here.
Maggie is wearing a dress from Baby Gap that was worn by 3 of her cousins before her. My sister, Joanne, sent me a huge box of clothes over before Maggie was born and it is so nice dressing her in clothes her cousins have worn before her. Some of them are nearly 17 years old and have gone through 5 other cousin's wardrobes...what great memories they hold!

CIARA

Myself, Ciara Leonard Switzer, My hubbie Jonathan Switzer and son Luke Switzer. 38, 48 and 3 respectively.

Taken in Bulgaden, Co. Limerick.

EATING: We had Turkey and Ham dinner from our local restaurant, a half mile over the road. A yummy take away. A fabulous change from cooking.

COMMUNICATED WITH: We spoke to lots of our family on WhatsApp video calls near and far. All my friends via WhatsApp and yes still Viber!

LISTENING TO: Today FM, my fav station. Also listened to Spotify and my own selection.

EILEEN

I rose at 8 am and a half an hour later, went for a long walk with my husband John around the estate where I live here in Old Bawn, Tallaght. We saw a few dog walkers and a lovely big brown dog off the lead was running like a mad thing. As if he sensed that such freedom is not to be sniffed at. The pavements and park areas were cleaner than usual although some folk had littered with latex gloves of all things! As if it were a safe way of disposal. I saw a lovely Forsythia bush in full yellow bloom, a lovely Easter sight. Nature will be here long after us. If we don't walk in the early morning we find it difficult to go out later. More people are stirring. After a small breakfast (eggs/toast) we drove to a Centra to buy the papers which are now in lockdown in the boot of the car as we're not sure how long the virus lives on paper. Of course, the hands got an almighty scrub when we returned. Most of the day has been spent communicating with the family, from the Midlands, Dublin and Kerry to as far afield as New York. Video chat/phone/email...where would we be without technology? Our daughter returns from New York this coming Thursday and is bringing home her cat also. A HUGE undertaking with paperwork etc. etc. Then the fun begins, with isolating etc. etc.

I'm listening to Mary Coughlan, a favourite singer. I simply adore her voice and her songs. Eoghanin from 'Scars on the Calendar' which features the swallow but in an emotional, evocative way. With Mary Coughlan, you get a lot more than surface. She came to the Civic in February. I could listen to her forever. I'm reading 'Threshold' by Rob Doyle, a favourite author. His travels through Europe seem so appealing. He's an intelligent writer, witty too and has 'lived' a lot. I'll say no more but I would always want to read him. And poetry by Keats, an old favourite. I find myself returning to poets I read decades ago and through them, fell in love with poetry.

I watch Netflix though got a site called 'Nites.in' and watched 'Ordinary Love' the other night, with Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville. 'Ordinary Love' is basically about two people who are married a very long time and how they cope with the wife contracts breast cancer. As I too have been married for decades, I could empathise with these characters. Never more so now when we are spending so much time together but it's the 'ordinary' elements of life that ultimately 'glue' couples together. 'The Ballast of the Everyday' as Beckett called it. I'd recommend the movie simply because Manville and Neeson are Ace together. And of course I've eaten some chocolate and will probably have more later. We are on lock down with our daughter who is 24 so her 'clock' is different to ours. We are so glad of her youth at this time and of the opportunity to spend time with her. A quieter life makes one realise how important it is to have some quiet moments with family and we are very lucky to have this young woman in our lives.

I watched Easter Parade on and off this afternoon (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire). Alas, I have no Easter bonnet and I didn't dress up today although it's a challenge not to stay in the cosy dressing gown.

MARY ALACOQUE RYAN / @streetartmary

EATING:

 Breakfast: a slice of sourdough bread on which was spread hummus;

almonds, walnuts and pine nuts; small slice of cheese; coffee; also, a

pint of warm water in which there is a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

with The Mother – a great anti-inflammatory

 Lunch: soup, sourdough bread and salad

 Dinner: Lamb Tagine - which my partner and I cooked from scratch -

with couscous; good wine that we got as a present from the family of a

women I did a feature on in the Tuam Herald; the woman is Tuam’s

matriarch and in her 105 th year; she narrowly takes first place from

another neighbour who was in school and class with her and who will

be 104 this coming July

 On and off during the day we had bits of Easter eggs given to my

partner by the Lithuanian Community – he had written a page-long

article about them.

SPEAKING WITH:

 My partner (we’re living together for the duration of Covid-19)

 my son through his Jitsi VOIP server

 my three siblings in Galway city via Zoom

 friends by text/WhatsApp

 We “sneaked” next door into the garden of my partner’s sister-in-law

and her husband (who are cocooning) and hid two Lindt chocolate

Easter rabbits in their garden; to help them find them, we gave two

clues: (a) one may face the rising sun (it was under a mint bush given

them by the late John McGahern who wrote “That They May Face the

Rising Sun”); (b) to find the other, pray, love, remember (In

Shakespeare’s time, rosemary was a symbol of remembrance,

friendship and fidelity) – the rabbit was under a rosemary bush.

LISTENING TO:

 Radio 1 from 8.00 to 14.00 – on and off

 A classic CD during lunch

 Podcast – ECONTALK with Russ Roberts interviewing Ryan Holiday

about his latest book “Stillness is the Key” – early am.

VIEWING:

 Fair City on RTE 1 at 20.00. It is the last episode until after the virus

 “The Crown” on DVD.

READING:

 A paperback book (I don’t like the idea of Kindle). I’m reading “Life is

My Adventure” by Barbara Mullen (born South Boston 1914), an

autobiography written by Barbara when she was 23 years old; it’s in

connection with a project I’m doing on the Aran Islands with a

cousin/academic who is writing a play on Barbara; we’ve “discovered”

there was what we are calling a “artists’ colony” in the thatched cottage

built for the making of Man of Aran (filmed on Inis Mór in 1934;

Barbara’s father Pat Mullen was the assistant director and also acted in

the film); Barbara played the housekeeper in Dr Finlay’s Casebook.

I had planned on living on Inis Mór for 2020 but with extreme lockdown,

my partner wouldn’t have been able to visit me so I moved to Tuam for

duration of Covid-19

 “The Sunday Times Magazine” April 12, 2020, specifically an article

entitled Finding light in the darkness by Rachel Clarke, a palliative care

doctor, who explains how life becomes imbued with joy when we

embrace its fragility; this is pertinent during a time of a contagious

virus; I appreciate how this happens as I’ve worked on this internally; I

wrote about my experience in Omnibus of the Tuam Herald on

29.03.2017; it was entitled Talking about Death.

LOCKDOWN TREAT:

 Connecting with friends I haven’t spoken to for ages; doing it through

Zoom mostly

 Wine, chocolate and watching box sets at the end of the day with my

partner who is still going to the office as he’s the editor; all other

journalists are working from home;

please note we are not over-indulging in wine but finding it difficult not

to have a glass every night I’m afraid – we keep making resolutions!

Maybe this week … we live in hope!

While not ignoring the seriousness of the situation and being in sympathy with those

who are ill or who have lost loved ones, I’m actually enjoying this lockdown as I’m

usually rushing about the place and now I have to stop … and listen … and smell the

flowers … and watch sheep with their frisky lambs … and see the disaster of

castrated cattle who have no life in them but to eat and unknowingly get ready for

slaughter.

Let’s hope a better world will emerge from this.

MEL, IRENE &
ARTHUR (8 MONTHS)

I bought this 70s dress in a Vintage store in Enniskillen, near to where Mel’s family live. My mother-in-law told me about the store and we visited together the next ime we were up with them. I was newly pregnant on Arthur at the time but only Mel and I knew. I tried on the dress and could not believe how big my boobs were! There was no way those buttons were fastening. So I did what I forbid all of my styling clients from doing - I bought it for a future time when I was slimmer. I imagined wearing it to some sort of Christening day we would have to celebrate our little baby’s arrival. That day never came as all such celebrations have been postponed for now. Still, the dress was winking at me so I gave it a whirl. The boobs had left the building, as anticipated; the back fat stayed. But that’s the joy of buttons - just leave a few open at the top and the extra parts of me are just as welcome!
I paired it with a manic smile that was akin to the Rose of Tralee mother mouthing the words as her daughter speaks on stage … I was **willing** the other pair to smile on cue for the timer. Varying degrees of success but I’ll take it.
Arthur is wearing a gorgeous little outfit from M&S that my pals sent into me in hospital with one of the girls that visited. I remember being fascinated at the idea that this tiny baby would ever fit into those dungarees! But I adored them and thought ‘that’s exactly how I’d love to dress my little boy’. I thought it was the perfect outfit for this first-ever Easter Sunday - even if we wouldn’t see anyone else to admire it!
Mel’s not a man for fading into the background with his clothes. LOVES a coloured pant! And is always a good enough sport to get dressed up for whatever random occasion I deem important. Literally dressed up and nowhere to go this year but we all felt the better of it.
It did the soul good receiving all the photos of people. that got involved in TWWW, Easter 2020 today. A sense of togetherness as we stay apart… for each other.

RUTH

JEN (Toronto)

JEN - 2021 UPDATE

JOAN

Mitchell (MELBOURNE)

LAURA

JUSTINE

ELAINE

CHARLIE & SONNIE (MELBOURNE)

CHARLIE & SONNIE - 2021 UPDATE

Ann

Emma

ALICE & SIMON (MELBOURNE)

ALICE & SIMON: 2021 UPDATE

KATE (WITH ALICE & LUCY)

CAROL (with evie & Abbie)

Michelle

Catherine & John

NAOMI

Ailbhe, Aoibh and Fiadh

MICHELLE

BLYTHE

AOIFFE

URSULA (WITH ADAM & LUCY)

EDEL KING

FIONA

IAN, CLARE AND TESS

SASHA & WINONA (AGE 3)

SIOMHA

Lucianne, Daisy & Poppy

MAEVE & BETH

HAZEL, MARK, TOM & BREN

PAULA

DAISEY & TRISH

SARAH

SHARLEEN

AMANDA

LAURA (& BUMP)

LAURA - 2021 UPDATE

CIARA

EILEEN

MEL, IRENE &

ARTHUR (8 MONTHS)

MEL, IRENE, ARTHUR … AND FREDDIE (7 WEEKS)

The Watershed

WHAT’S IN THE (MATERNITY) BAG?