When the extended O’Hagan family from Lifford decided they’d like to celebrate their parents’ 60th wedding anniversary they knew Covid would be a problem.
Growing up in a house with 12 children, social distancing was never heard of.
But the family were determined not to let the day pass without letting parents Patsy and Kathleen know how much they meant to them.
So, like thousands of other families around the country, a Zoom call was the order of the day.
But when you have 33 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, well that’s a lot of laptops and phones!
Patsy and Kathleen awoke to a lovely surprise at their home in Cloughfin after the family made a huge banner and put up balloons and decorations.
According to daughter Lucia “The zoom call was a huge success. My parents loved it and could not believe they could see everyone and talk to them as if they beside them. It was a strange but safe way to be together.”
Patsy, who is originally from Railway Road in St Johnston, met Kathleen (nee Doherty) from Cloughfin, Ballindrait at a dance in Kinnacally St. Johnston.
They got married on February 8th, 1961.
“My father worked two jobs at times to provide for a large family of five girls and seven boys. My mother stayed at home cared for the family and was the homemaker.
Patsy and Kathleen were delighted to be able to catch up with all their family by Zoom despite Covid.
“Times were very tough for them raising a big family and all the trouble life brings with it but they stuck it through bad and good times and have made it to a big milestone of 60 years of marriage,” said Lucia.
Everyone at Donegal Daily would like to wish Patsy and Kathleen a belated wedding anniversary and wish them many more years of happiness together.
Afterall, don’t the years just ‘zoom’ in!