IN THE modern world, many of us take for the granted the ease in which we can connect with people almost anywhere in the world. A few clicks on a computer, or a tap on your phone screen, and you are able to see and chat with your nearest and dearest.

And, in such strange times as we are in with the coronavirus pandemic putting a halt to even the simplest of physical interactions, and placing us in an ongoing cycle of lockdowns, that connectivity has become ever more important and prevalent.

But what if you are not into all these modern-day conveniences? What if you prefer the old-fashioned chat in front of the fire, or meeting friends face-to-face?

For Margaret Gallagher, her thatched cottage in the hills above Belcoo was a place of warmth and hospitality before the pandemic struck – something that the 79-year-old misses dearly.

A neighbour or friend crossing the threshold and sitting down beside the warm hearth with a cup of tea and a slice of cake, ready for a chat, is a treasured memory that’s, sadly, impossible at present.

Margaret admits that this latest lockdown is “frightening”, compared to the previous ones.

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She says: “The first lockdown was okay, it was a novelty. It didn’t seem to go on as long [as this one] or we didn’t expect it to go on as long.

“As I was saying, there was a novelty factor to it. You weren’t meeting anyone, you weren’t seeing anyone, but you knew it would end, and it would end well.

“This one is a different ball game altogether. There is never an end in sight to this, and maybe that’s because I’m a year older. I was 79 on January 26, and everything looks a bit different when you’re that age. So this one does affect me.

“I find it frightening, not being able to see friends. They can come to the gate or whatever, but someone coming into the house, sitting down, making tea and all that – it’s a different ball game, and it’s what I really miss.”

Hospitality is a key aspect of the thatched cottage, according to Margaret, with such homes a welcoming sight for all – a tradition Margaret also carries on with her own warm hospitality.

“Thatched houses were always welcoming. The people living in them had nothing to give anyone, but they shared what they had.

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“They broke bread with their neighbour, and that brought people together. Just the connectivity, really, was what it was, and I’m missing that now.”

For now, Margaret has to content herself with crosswords, baking and her prayers, as her faith plays a massive part in her life, even though she is unable to get to mass.

“I miss getting to church, not only for the spiritual aspect, but also the social context, because I met people there.”

She has the radio to listen to, and likes reading about the area around her because, as she says: “I just like reading about Mullylusty, and that is probably very parochial, but the wider world doesn’t interest me because I am of no interest to it.”

The 79-year-old has played a constant role in the local community, and would have been busy with meetings of the Parish Council, Lakeland Community Care and others when things were normal.

However, Zoom online meetings are the typical way to holding meetings now, but Margaret does not have much time for that. “It’s hard to beat the meeting where you have a kettle and a cup of tea, a chat, and whatever problems you have, you sort it out.”

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Still, Margaret can see light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to the vaccines’ roll-out, and she has received her first vaccine jab recently, with her second jab due on April 9.

‘Great faith in doctors’

“It’s absolutely brilliant, and you need to have faith in something, and I have great faith in doctors because they have been there and they know us, and I think it’s great.”

And she believes that when we finally come out of the pandemic, we will all be in a better place.

“The goodness of people has come out. That’s one thing – when we come through this pandemic, we will be much better people.

“My neighbours are absolutely fantastic, from the youngest to the oldest. They say ‘Ring me’ if I need anything, and they are there to help you if you need it, and they are an intelligent lot and are just fantastic.

“You can’t underestimate these things.”

Family in England ring her every day to see how she is, and 2020 was the first time in 40 years that Margaret did not travel over to them for Christmas, but she hopes it won’t be long until she is able to do so again.

Just as the vaccine is bringing some light back into the world, the longer days as Spring grows stronger also play their part for Margaret, who rises very early to start her day.

When the day finally comes when she can welcome visitors through her door again, and regale them with local history, it is a day Margaret cannot wait for, and it is certainly a bright spot on the horizon that she’s focused on, adding: “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”