Outside Terminal 1 arrivals at Dublin airport on Sunday afternoon families waited in the cold for their loved ones to arrive home from Britain for Christmas, 24-hours after new restrictions were announced there by prime minister Boris Johnson and before the ban on flights into Ireland came into force.
Paschal Roche from Waterford and his daughter Sarah Jane were among those who arrived at Dublin on Sunday after returning from London together.
They plan to spend Christmas with Mr Roche’s five other children and 84-year-old mother.
“The flight was busy. Everyone was wearing masks but it was full,” Mr Roche said.
Sarah Jane had originally booked her flight for Monday but changed it to come home on the same flight as her father. “I was glad I did because I was shocked when I heard about the ban,” she said.
Mr Roche got a private Covid test on Friday and got his negative result on Saturday. “I haven’t seen the family in seven months, normally I’m home a few times a year, so it’ll be a nice big reunion,” he said.
Ellen Hession was greeted outside Dublin airport with a teddy bear and a handmade "virtual hug" heart-shaped sign from her mother.
“I feel really lucky to have made it home. There was an air of panic last night and this morning because we were all wondering would they restrict travel from the UK,” Ms Hession said.
Ms Hession is studying teaching in London and her main concern was getting home for Christmas. She will spend two weeks with her family in Galway before returning.
“I tried to book flights into Knock and Shannon but it wasn’t happening. I had a flight to Shannon originally but it was cancelled. We didn’t know what to do,” she said.
Ms Hession said there was "no social distancing" on her Ryanair flight but said she was "glad to at least make it back home."
Darragh O’Keeffe and his sister Aisling returned from Newcastle, where they’ve been based for several years for work.
“We landed and heard the news (about the ban on flights into Ireland) and I thought ‘Thank god’ that we were back today,” Mr O’Keeffe said.
The siblings were returning to Waterford. Aisling works in a hospital in Newcastle and tests herself for Covid twice a week.
“I haven’t been home all year and didn’t make it home for Christmas last year because I was working, so I had to come. Christmas is a special time,” she said, adding that there had been some commotion inside as she overheard people at passport control asking about the flight restrictions.
Meanwhile, Tim Molloy from Meath waited outside the Terminal wearing his Santa hat for his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren who were due to arrive home from London.
“We were up in the air the whole time wondering if they’d make it back. I’m looking forward to seeing them. They are based there over twenty years but they always come back for Christmas,” Mr Molloy said.
"I've a son coming home from Spain tonight as well and we haven't seen him in over a year. So I'll drive them back to Meath to spend the Christmas together. That's what it's all about," he said.