Coronavirus in ROI/NI part 2

[Zantedeschia]

Following on from the other thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/craicnet/3834552-Coronavirus-in-Ireland-N-Ireland?pg=40&order=

I don't know how any holiday home owner could be oblivious- you'd want to be very arrogant to travel during lockdown to a location where you are not wanted.
Gordon Ramsey is being slagged off all over the media for being in Cornwall in this second home , Kirby allsop the same , and the royals.

Standing in queue for check out yesterday and elderly man comes up to DD and playfully tugs at her pigtails. Some people just do not get social distancing.

We are in NI, I’ve heard of a few families travelling from Belfast to their holiday homes in Donegal for the Easter break. It’s such selfish and entitled behaviour. Why do these people think the rules don’t apply to them 🤷🏼‍♀️

This wonderful announcement came up on Facebook wrt people travelling for the bh weekend:

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

The Government has announced today that, for the Easter break, certain groups are allowed to go to parks and Beaches and invite friends round for BBQs.

IMPORTANT- PLEASE READ

While the majority of the population will remain in self isolation, the following groups will be allowed to gather together at parks, beaches and visit each others houses.

Arseholes
Shit heads
Imbeciles
Half wits
Morons
Troglodytes
Ignoramuses
Simpletons
Illiterates
Stupid fuckers
Idiots
Dickheads
Twats
Pricks
C*s

Anyone not in those groups must follow the guidelines set out by the Government regarding social distancing.

I was talking to a neighbour at a safe distance this morning and we were agreeing that we need to close the ports and airports for all except freight traffic, if we are to get out of this. The greatest threat to us is from the UK so we need to close traffic to that and NI can either go with us, or we lock the border.

I have family in NI and I am astonished that people would even think of going across the border to a holiday home or anywhere else. I am also appalled at anyone in Dublin or any other city, going off to Wexford, Clare, Cork, Kerry - any small holiday village - for the weekend.

Honestly, this virus has opened my eyes to how stupid so many many people are. I think the Guards should have the power to arrest people for breach of this - lock them up for 48 hours in a cell and see if they are as quick to go to a holiday home again.

@BorrestGump - brilliant. That made me smile.

Seeing pictures of all the cars is very disheartening. I was hoping though that it only looked bad because there a police checkpoint. It's so frustrating when most people are following the rules. I feel like I'm in groundhog day but we have to do it.
My interaction with people is so limited that during virtual exercise class this morning, the woman's son ran in and I was talking to him like we were in the gym. All oh hi, what have you got oh wow.
He was showing us his paw patrol toy.

iblinked that is very cute. My ds keeps trying to sneak in when I'm on work calls to say hi to everyone... he is older though!

DD2 is trying to get ddog to join her in calls but he won't. Cats are keener on video calls.

I'm fed up with joggers on footpaths.
I think, like Paris, there should be restrictions on the times joggers are allowed out running on footpaths.
Today I actually had to lift my left arm out to keep some distance from me and a sweaty female jogger. I was on the inside of the pavement, she was nearer the road. Normally I will walk out in the road to avoid them. Most of them are selfish feckers, sadly.

I've just done a round trip to Crumlin for a hospital appointment and the M1 and M50 were busy. Met one Garda check point and they were sending plenty of people back towards Dublin. Local radio says they are catching loads of drug dealers too which is an unexpected bonus

At least with less traffic they don't have to stop at junctions and spit. Yuck.
Debenhams is closing, lots of jobs gone and big empty shops. (I've never forgiven Roches for selling to them, but still...)

Fergal Keane clarifies the ferry news item

I'm so disappointed for the Debenham workers.
I too was annoyed Roches sold out. Their staff were lovely. I met some of the Roche family at a funeral and they were so down to earth too.
One member I met worked behind the counter, you'd never know she was one of the heirs of a big for Ireland shopping dynasty, she was always so helpful in the shop.

I met a nice lady at a wine and cheese party (how 1970s), who worked for Debenhams, but worked for Roches so had an old contract. Their terms of employment were much better - no Sundays, better holidays etc. I hate to see shops closing, it usually means a loss of part time work, and women's jobs.

I've been watch the other thread, just joining in now.

I don' t understand why the Gardai don't just wander around Donegal (and West Cork it sounds like) sending all NI registered cars or even Dublin registered and their owners home - and fining them. I was delighted at that Sligo woman being insta-jailed; people need to see consequences now, not vague court cases in a few month's time when it's all over.

I've easter eggs in the boot of my car that I want to deliver to my DS and his partner. I'm too scared to go incase I get caught. I would only be dropping eggs off on the wall but I still wont chance it. They live 40mins drive away from me so well outside the premitted allowance.
My friend lives 10mins drive away, her son's birthday was just after St. Patrick's day. I have a present here that I wont deliver so people travelling for holiday's or for the "spin" is so aggravating.

The gardai specifically said delivering Easter Eggs is not an essential journey so I wouldn’t. Regardless of what Simon Harris says about the Easter Bunny being an essential worker

You could self identify as the Easter Bunny maybe? Or keep them for a while /eat them yourself?

I'll be keeping them until I am told I can go out again and hopefully I'll not eat them.

I'd be tempted...to eat, not to deliver.
I want to go and see my kids, they are 3 hours away - apart from the one upstairs with a four day weekend. It's not long to May Bank Holiday either.

eggandonion
Did the staff member have a better contract with Roches or Debenhams ?

Roches - the staff kept the original Roches one. I think long term Dunnes employees have better contracts too. I wonder what they can do with the huge shops, subdivide I suppose? I assume in Cork the Debenhams in Mahon is on a lease, but do Debenhams own the old Roches buildings like the Patrick Street one?
I swing between agreeing with lockdown and thinking the long term consequences for people and businesses are so terrible we need to go back to work!

ReiltinDubh I love your name.

I'd be wary of the hype around outsider car regs. The reality of the second hand car market means it's not unusual to have an out of county reg and the number of people I know who delayed registering UK/NI import cars isn't insignificant (one of our neighbors was driving a German reg car for 2 years ).

Can report that Cornescourt isn't worth a special trip the grocery was reasonably well stocked but long queue to get in and no one dared pick up anything in the homeware or drapery. I'm also sad about the Debenhams news. And not just because they sell my favorite bras! I hate what they did to the beautiful old Frascati house though where Roche's Stores was all those years ago.

My parents are in Achill and said there was a steady stream of traffic heading down the island all day yesterday. They have closed all the carparks at the beaches. Westport is quiet compared to usual. A couple of miserable looking tourists wandering about but not much activity at all.