Coronavirus Solidarity Diary: Afternoon tea delivery makes up for couples’ postponed celebrations
Welcome to Chapter Ten of the Irish Examiner's #CoronavirusSolidarity diary.
Every week we will be highlighting for posterity those stories which capture the unique community spirit of Ireland's response to the ongoing crisis. Please let us know about community initiatives which have been set up to offer support to those most impacted by the crisis or examples of people who are going above and beyond the call of duty. Tag us at @irishexaminer and use #CoronavirusSolidarity.
Read Chapter One here.
Read Chapter Two here.
Read Chapter Three here.
Read Chapter Four here.
Read Chapter Five here.
Read Chapter Six here.
Read Chapter Seven here.
Read Chapter Eight here.
Read Chapter Nine here
Monday, May 18
A surprise afternoon tea was delivered in style to treat three couples who had to postpone wedding anniversary celebrations at a historic Cork hotel due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Dressed in top hat and tails, guest relations manager and concierge with the Metropole Hotel John Coleman cancelled plans for his day off to deliver Prosecco, gourmet sandwiches, fresh cakes and scones to the couples.
"It was like something you'd see at the Waldorf," said Michael Mulcahy who had to postpone his 40th wedding anniversary celebrations with his wife Ann at the hotel due to the pandemic.
Three lovely afternoon tea deliveries this afternoon by the double JC, @CaseyMcSween & @ConciergeCJohn to some worthy Wedding Club members 2 of which had to cancel their anniversary celebrations recently and the 3rd were featured on @NeilRedFM this week #smallthings #gesture pic.twitter.com/6VRtFpULT6
— The Metropole Hotel Cork (@MetropoleCork) May 17, 2020
The couple married at the Metropole 40 years ago when Ann was 17 and Michael was 19. They planned to renew their vows and have a party with family and friends at the hotel this summer but they have put those plans on hold until the restrictions lift.
Mr Coleman said that the deliveries had created a sense of community throughout the lockdown.
"The longer lockdown goes on the more important it is to give everybody a lift," the concierge said. "We were looking for ways to show little acts of kindness. I'm a firm believer in promoting positivity and as soon as Janice asked me to do this I jumped at the opportunity.
