Surge in people coming home to Northern Ireland for a family Christmas

There has been a major surge in people traveling home from overseas to be with loved ones in Northern Ireland for Christmas, compared to last year.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 23rd Dec 2021, 13:56 BST
Updated 23rd Dec 2021, 17:29 BST
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Heather Fielding, Northern Ireland spokeswoman for the Association Of British Travel Agents, noted that progress with vaccinations in the past twelve months has made a huge difference.

“I definitely think a lot more people are traveling home this year because a lot more people are vaccinated and have their certificates,” she told the News Letter. “But I think the testing requirements for coming into the UK will still be a deterrent for some people.”

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A spokeswoman for Stena Line added: “In terms of cars and guests coming in from Liverpool and Cairnryan in the last week before Christmas, we’re seeing a 77.9% uplift in cars and 111.7% uplift in guests compared to last year.”

Richard Hassan and his two sons Liam, 8 years old, and Kyle, 6, from Jordanstown pictured welcoming home mom Suzi to George Best Belfast City airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.Richard Hassan and his two sons Liam, 8 years old, and Kyle, 6, from Jordanstown pictured welcoming home mom Suzi to George Best Belfast City airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
Richard Hassan and his two sons Liam, 8 years old, and Kyle, 6, from Jordanstown pictured welcoming home mom Suzi to George Best Belfast City airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Two travelers who have arrived back in Belfast said they were crestfallen when restrictions kept them away last year.

Meabh Deeney, a 27-year-old carer from Londonderry, spoke to the News Letter while still in transit on the ferry from Cairnryan yesterday.

“Last year, the last-minute decision threw my plans into disarray and I had to spend Christmas in Scotland, away from my family,” she said.

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“This will be my first Christmas at home since I moved to live in Glasgow permanently in January 2020, so I can’t wait to get there and see everybody.”

The Adams family: Wee Archie from Armagh pictured welcoming home his Granda Cliff from Aberdeen on his 60th birthday to George Best Belfast City Airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.The Adams family: Wee Archie from Armagh pictured welcoming home his Granda Cliff from Aberdeen on his 60th birthday to George Best Belfast City Airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
The Adams family: Wee Archie from Armagh pictured welcoming home his Granda Cliff from Aberdeen on his 60th birthday to George Best Belfast City Airport. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Alexandra Tyler tweeted a photo of a Tayto vending machine as she arrived back in Belfast on Wednesday. “Can finally, confidently say I’m in the right place!,” she said. While she lives in Cardiff, her late mother was from Belfast.

“So it’s always a big thing to come over and spend time with her family at any time of the year,” she told the News Letter. “Christmas was mum’s favourite, though, which always makes it that extra bit more important. I started coming over more regularly in 2016. Not being able to make it in 2020 was a real shock. These days I take any chance I can to be here.”

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Sophie McNeill, Jackie McMullan and Roisin McMullan from Ballymoney pictured welcoming home Dougie Mackintosh to George Best Belfast City airport as he arrives home to Northern Ireland for Christmas. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.Sophie McNeill, Jackie McMullan and Roisin McMullan from Ballymoney pictured welcoming home Dougie Mackintosh to George Best Belfast City airport as he arrives home to Northern Ireland for Christmas. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
Sophie McNeill, Jackie McMullan and Roisin McMullan from Ballymoney pictured welcoming home Dougie Mackintosh to George Best Belfast City airport as he arrives home to Northern Ireland for Christmas. Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

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