Coronavirus - Remain Calm. Do Not Panic

We couldn't have been closer MC, we could and did finish each others sentences, each of our brains was like an extension of the other's

We attended hundreds of matches together over the years and I can remember every single one, didn't matter what code, Gaelic football, hurling, association football, rugby, we went to them all and we went all over the country, he brought me to my first Ireland away matches in Anfield and Brussels, my idea of heaven would be sitting beside him on the upper deck of the old Cusack Stand watching a Leinster hurling semi-final between Offaly and Wexford or a game of pitch and putt in Bohernabreena or climbing some hill in Wicklow with him, he was a man of pure modesty and totally unmaterialistic but at the same time he was interested in everything, so open minded, the most reasonable man you'd ever meet - though that particular aspect of his character didn't rub off on me  - and a man who would go out of his way to do you any favour he could, he was so good himself taking care of his mother when she got dementia, he basically moved back in with her to take of her, as well as his aunt when she was old and frail, he'd think nothing of going over to the far side of the city to spend hours with her keeping her company, he always thought about helping other people 

One my favorite things we ever did was about 10 years ago, he loved railways and wanted to go over the Barrow rail bridge before it closed, we got the train down to Limerick Junction and then over to Waterford and across the Barrow Bridge to Rosslare, we even sat in the cab with the driver as we went across the bridge, chips in Wexford and a bus back to Dublin

During it all we spent about 12 hours talking about the upcoming All-Ireland hurling final when Tipp were trying to stop Kilkenny doing five in a row, and everything else under the sun, simple stuff but magic memories, and I have a thousand and more other memories like that of him, and not one bad one

My hurt is not so much for myself as for the fear and suffering he had to through alone over the last few weeks - though the hospital staff were amazing - I'm glad I could be with him at the end but so regretful that I couldn't be there before the last couple of days

My father in law(72) sadly passed away on Jan 5th from covid and today we found out my mother(81) has tested positive.both caught it while in hospital getting treated for other things...the father in law never made it home,while my mam had a week left till she was home till she tested positive.