The new year began – and ended – the way the old one finished, with the Government struggling to deal with rising Covid-19 cases amid a fresh wave of infections.
There was no escaping the Covid impact on everyday life and the repeated adjustments demanded from regular updates and changes to regulations and restrictions. For most citizens it was all about muddling through and trying to maintain some element of daily life in the midst of the pandemic.
Covid and its consequences overshadowed issues like Brexit and the Border ramifications, though work to resolve the outstanding issues continued through the year. Shortages in stores and trouble on the streets showed that the Brexit issues are more than merely administrative disputes over semantics: they have everyday consequences for citizens on this island.
Scandals were never far from the public eye as the Government apologised to the families and survivors of the Mother and Baby homes. Meanwhile homeowners, particularly in the west of Ireland, called for help as their houses crumbled around them due to Mica.
Weather was never off the news agenda for long, a mix of storms, floods and occasional spells of glorious sunshine peppered the year. With each came clean-ups and damage repair.
There were some brighter moments along the way as well and we hope those are reflected in this collection of images, a snapshot of the year.
