New Year inspiration for 2021: Sunrises, beach dips and babies

Revellers were not able to ring in the New Year in the usual way because of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, which forbade gatherings indoors or outdoors overnight.

So, after a last minute spree of stocking up with food, drink and takeaways, city and town centres across Northern Ireland were largely deserted after 8pm as people cocooned at home for the evening.

Instead of toasting the new year in with friends and the clink of glasses, new year’s wishes were instead shared primarily across the province by social media this year.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne tweeted that he spent the final hours of 2020 on the beat with officers in Belfast, posting a series of photos of totally empty streets.

Police commended the vast majority of people across the province for staying at home for the evening.

Totally oblivious to the trials and tribulations of 2020, however, life continued as normal in the ‘wee small hours’ at maternity wards across the Province.

In the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, for example, baby boy ’Shanley’ entered the world just before 1am, at 8lb 6oz, with a little help from student midwife Mairead Lavery and staff midwives Sarah Laverty and Heidi McMillan.

  Some people, seeking inspiration for the year ahead - and doubtless wishing to put the unprecedented trials of 2020 behind them - got up early to drink in some beautiful sunrises at beauty spots such as Cave Hill.

As the day rolled on others took in bracing walks in the country and on mountains across the province.

But, the hardiest souls, such as brother and sister Matthew and Rachael Morrison from Bangor, braved the ice cold sea water for their traditional dip, in their case at Helen’s Bay in north Down.

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