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STRANGERS CAUGHT ON camera in a particular moment can pull on our emotions. Sometimes, in a way, that even happenings close to our lives and hearts don’t.
It can be for different reasons – a tragic loss, needless hardship, a triumph over adversity, the bonding of a community or an unexplained evil.
This collection of photos from the past 12 months is an emotional mix. Some are happy memories shared with us through the power of photography. Others are images of loss and pain.
Often, we could not sympathise or thank the men, women and children who we connected with but these are just some of the stories that have touched us during 2013.
1. He just wanted to go to the zoo…
But the US government shutdown stopped him in his tracks. (Image: Imgur)
2. Coming face to face
“I get to feel my mother’s skin again, I get to see my mother’s freckles, and through you, I get to see my mother live on. This is truly a blessing.” – Marinda Righter on meeting the woman who received her mother’s face in an extraordinary transplant procedure in Boston this year.
(Charles Krupa/AP/Press Association Images)
3. One true love
“Without you my heart is a lonely iceberg. #ValentineFromSpace,” tweeted Commander Chris Hadfield, along with this image on 14 February this year.
4. Speaking of one true love…
Norrie Coakley (87) and Bill Short (90) met on a CIE bus tour in 1962. Three children and six grandchildren later, they celebrated the 50th anniversary of their Shelbourne hotel wedding on 23 August.
Image: John T Ohle Photography
5. Heartbreak
A sea of blue outside the Dundalk church where the funeral mass for Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was being held on 30 January.
Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland
6. A global loss
A man of words and wisdom, Seamus Heaney’s sudden passing came as a shock to those who loved him in Ireland and across the world.
Here, his sons Michael and Christopher bring him to his final resting place on 2 September.
Heaney’s last words were sent by text message to Maire, just minutes before he passed away, said his son. They were in Latin, and devastating in their simplicity: “Don’t be afraid”.
(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
7. Good deeds don’t go unnoticed
Just before Christmas, Carrick Dog Shelter let us know about this gentleman who saves up his pension each year to drop a delivery of dog food for the rescued animals.
After the shelter said ‘Thank You’ on Facebook, Lidl recognised their own brand of dog food in the photo – and then headed to Carrick now with some goodies for the dogs and a “little something” for the kind local.
Image: Carrick Dog Shelter
8. Tough times
He needs a towel to dry off and a cup of tea, stat.
Picture taken in Borneo via Imgur
9. Life goes on
Even in the hardest of circumstances, children will rally and find ways to make it through violence, poverty and homelessness.
These two young Syrian sisters, Fatima and Sara, take solace in a book as they sit in their tent at a refugee camp in Jordan.
(Image: Mohammad Hannon/AP/Press Association Images)
10-11. Tata Madiba
Young and old, black and white; the whole of South Africa joined together to mourn its father, Nelson Mandela, during the month of December.
Four-year-old Bokamoso warms her hands over candles placed between flowers outside of the house of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg. (Image: Markus Schreiber/AP/Press Association Images)
A single flower rests on the roof of the car carrying the coffin of former South African president Nelson Mandela as it makes its way through the streets of Pretoria. (Image: Ben Curtis/AP/Press Association Images)
12. Hell and hope
It was a mixed year for Magdalene Laundry survivors but it eventually culminated in a heartfelt apology from the State, given through the Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Survivor Maureen Sullivan at a press conference following the launch of the McAleese Report into State involvement in the institutions. (Image: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)
13. Married bliss
Sea-lion wedding? Yes, that happened this year.
The photos don’t show the aftermath when they playfully mashed fish cake into each other’s faces, danced drunkenly to Sweet Caroline and tearfully told their new in-laws how much they loved them.
(Image: ChinaFotoPress)
14. Boys will be boys
Which is often a sweet, sweet thing. These two lads reminded us of what true sportsmanship is all about on 21 November while playing in a schools GAA match.
In the heat of their final, played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday, Riain Ó Cathail (black jersey) was quick to console Ciarán O’Connell after his team scored a goal.
Image: Paraic English
15. The power of sport
Winning only comes after dedication, toil and, often, heartbreak. Nobody knows that more than Galway camogie player Therese Maher who cherishes an All-Ireland medal for the first time this year…after 16 years of trying.
This was the moment of realisation.
The enormity of the victory sinks in for Therese Maher. (Image: INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
16. Twenty seconds can change a lifetime
As sport can bring boundless joy, it can also dole out the misery. In bucketfuls.
No more than on 24 November when Ireland narrowly (oh so narrowly) missed out on being the only team to beat the All-Blacks this season.
Brian O’Driscoll watches as Ryan Crotty scores a last minute try. (Image: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
17. Gone too young
There should never be a reason to see young primary school pupils mourn their peers. In August this year, local children brought flowers to St Lazerian’s Church in Ballinkillen, Carlow for the funeral mass of Eoghan and Ruairi Chada.
“Every day the boys lived with joy and energy, and they loved their Mam and Dad deeply,” Father Declan Foley, the local parish priest, said in his homily.
Image: Laura Hutton
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Great gig in the top end of the “Civil service” no accountability or consequence, sure it’s great craic when it’s not your money.
@Mr Bordello: but the secretary general hasn’t refused to attend, he has merely requested his attendance be deferred until budget preparations are complete. After all, I’d imagine this would indeed be a pretty busy time of the year in finance. The ministers excuse however rings pretty hollow, as Doherty repeatedly pointed out, there are no legal proceedings as of yet
Yep still no accountability laws politics is Fooked
@Robert Phelan: no opposition in government like there used to be. Anything can be brought in now. People are too quiet and can’t afford to protest. Worse it gets year on year.
@Bull McCabe: yep spot on Bull McCabe.what broke the back in politics for me was when people re-elected FF back into government knowing what they did during the recession.That finished politics for me.the Irish had their chance for change but instead gave power back to FF madness.no more protesting from me the Irish can learn the hard way through their pockets. Accountability laws should of been the first drafted piece of legislation when the recession hit and jail for croquet bankers and corrupted politicians.Im voting direct democracy from here on in..
@Vocal Outrage: everyone knows the October budget means feck all considering the fears of a brexit fallout second budget. Every smokescreen from social to mainstream media will be unleashed in full force, ie: children’s hostipal, alcohol pricicing, Gerrys in the ra etc,, all deflection tactics from a right wing “government”
Mr. Watt is correct. We already know how much the project cost.
It is the Secretary General of the Department of Social Protection who should be invited to appear in front of the committee.
McGuinness is grandstanding again.
@Mr Bordello: what you say is absolutely true, a bunch of lying crooks run the state now. Unbelievable.
@Mr Bordello: hold on, are you actually arguing that he should have time to attend because this budget doesn’t count as another one will have to he drafted post brexit? He has time to attend because rather than having to prep 1 budget the department have to prepare 2 sequential budgets? That’s quite a logical somersault there
@Mr Bordello: same at the top of financial institutions, multi-nationals etc. not a public sector thing.
@Chin Feeyin: You obviously haven’t read the DPC Report!Check DEASP reply to DPC as to why they wanted to show 1st confidential draft PSC Report to DPER!
@GrahamMManning: theres no political will to do any different, it is public sector thing.
@Vocal Outrage: Here the thing if your boss calls you to the office you go , or you get sacked. Now he playing for time , four TD who were elected to the EU are due to have there seats up in a mini election. Please dont be so easily mislead.
@Paul Whelan: if your boss calls you do, problem here is his boss didn’t call, in fact, his boss, the minister, is also not attending, although I can’t see the logic of the bosses arguement not to attend. What has happened here is in effect the auditor has called, and if you’ve worked in industry you’d realise that audits get delayed all the time if there are looming deadlines. Again, the civil servant hasn’t refused to attend, merely deferred.
As for being mislead, don’t confuse your cynasism for my realism
@Vocal Outrage: Accountability and transparency re public expenditure is as important as Budgets,(that’s why DPER set up in 2011!),in fact the success of Budgets rely on prudent public expenditure and policies and both are important to the public as they affect the public and their families.
This is a2 year long Report &DPER aware of Draft Report findings so it must have been know attendance at Finance Committee/PAC would be requested once Report released!
@Ich bin brendan: agreed but no it’s not. It’s a “the top end of any industry” thing.
@Nuala Mc Namara: yes, fully agree, but McGuinness has timed this request at just such a time to reduce the possibility of the Secretary General being able to attend and if he did to have full figures. McGuinness has pulled stunts before to get headlines, and don’t forget, it was his party in government who first enacted legislation which would lead to the PSC being introduced.
@Vocal Outrage: Newsflash,DPC Report out same week as Dail back after holidays so that’s why Finance Committee called him!
@Vocal Outrage: Wrong, the committee is his boss rather like the govening board of a company calling in a senior manager, he attends. He does not ask his immediate boss can he go . Other wise why have committees all ?.
@Paul Whelan: if you actually check up on the role of dail committees, it is the ministers and government who are accountable to the committees, in turn the civil servants are accountable to their respective line ministers. Within the public sector that hierarchy and delineation is very important within a democracy as it is important that civil servants are not drawn into the political sphere, or vice-versa. At least, that’s the theory.
But regardless of all that, he hasn’t refused to attend, just that it be deferred until after the most high tempo portion of the year for DPER
@Vocal Outrage: Ministers and their servants my friend.
@Vocal Outrage: cival servants no accountability. Can’t be sacked
Send the Paddy Wagon around for him at 6 o’clock in the morning and drag him in, Some of these Civil Servants tend to forget who employs them and This Guy is really pulling the P’ss.
@James Keogh: think they all work for the same company?
@James Keogh: Totally agree, Public Servants ? , yes that is what they are, Public Servants, — Servants of the Public — NOT their Masters. They need to be reminded of this at every opportunity . They are Employed by the State to Serve the Public, not to try and DOMINATE people. Their salaries, – mostly very large, – are paid by the Workers of this Country .They are all in very privileged positions, they cannot be sacked apparently, they can go sick whenever the wish, they get great holidays, and they the try to bully decent people every day, and then do as little work as possible. I say, to McGuinness and his Committe, use every available avenue to force this bunch in and get the required answers.
@Eugene Comaskey: woah. Into the ole domination are we Eugene? Whatever floats your boat hon. And did the nasty public service people (cos we’re all the same)not hire you back in the day? Most salaries are not “very large” with qualifications taken into account. I’ve never bullied anyone in my job and work plenty hard.
@GrahamMManning:Blowing your own trumpet now. Just try dealing with any P S these days ?.
@Eugene Comaskey: staying facts and I’m a very pleasant member of the public service to deal with. Your BS sweeping generalisation is as pointless as it is inaccurate.
@GrahamMManning: I wouldn’t tar everyone with the same brush but would agree largely with Eugene. When you see it at the top you damn right believe it trickles down. We can only “hope” people have morals to do the right thing because theirs little accountability for those in jobs for life.
@Ich bin brendan: “I wouldn’t tar everyone with the same brush” as you all but tar everyone with the same brush immediately after???
@James Keogh: cop yourself on James. John McGuinness is showboating again ok. Watt hasn’t refused to attend. He wants to wait until the budget is over, which is entirely reasonable.
Also, Donohue has a point about court proceedings, while there is no active case yet, there will be. Everyone knows this.
As for Dixon being able to attend when the same court fear is live, she’s attending about something else as well and this is only a very tiny part of her appearance. Once again, John McGuinness is taking people for mugs again he’s grandstanding and in election campaign mode already.
I accept the headline is misleading and the article isn’t particularly well written but did you actually read it or did you see a headline and just jump straight to the comments?
Just read it.
@Bernard Sweeney: Budget is not a reason for giving a day at a hearing, What if he has to take a Sick day ? ?
Are we in trouble with the Budget,
Nonsensical excuse.
@James Keogh: and waterboard him if he refused to answer questions???
@GrahamMManning: Indeed my BS sweeping statement as you call it is Very Accurate and Very relevant . Again, I say Servants of the Public, not their Masters. You may very well be a nice person, that’s OK.
@James Gorman #FBPE: Twice to be sure to be Sure.
@Eugene Comaskey: yawn…repetition doesn’t make your nonsense any more accurate. Most public sector wages (relative to qualifications) are not “very large”. We are collectively not trying to “dominate” anyone. We’re not in “very privileged positions”, we’re doing our jobs. We can be sacked, though fair nuff in many instances it should be easier. Our sick leave/holiday conditions are in our contracts and a result of strong unions, not gonna apologise for that but would definitely encourage others to unionise. We neither bully the public nor “do as little work as possible” on a daily basis. Not saying no ps worker does but the vast majority do the exact opposite. So yes by and large your post is BS.
@GrahamMManning: Without saying much more, just look at the number or people who liked what I said initially , does that not make a statement, Public Servants , they are mostly sitting on their hands all day, talking about foreign holidays and drinking tea. Even minor applications to any Dept. takes ages, people won’t answer phones, too buisy, it can wait till tomorrow or the next day. I know the ropes, I seen them platted , waste of time. That’s it now.
@Eugene Comaskey: so the validity of your point is based on likes on here??? Ah Jebus kid you need a better barometer. So teachers (me), nurses, Gardai, social workers etc etc are all sitting on their arses, drinking tea and planning their hols all day??? Ur utterly clueless and the more you type the more you undermine ur own drivel.
@GrahamMManning: No Sir , I’m basing nothing on likes and here??? , I’m basing what I say on MY Experiences dealing with PS, and indeed having worked in there for 30 years, At first hand I saw the carry on, possibly like yourself , I did far too much, without much reward, only a clear conscience having done my very best. The Majority were dodging. My engagement with All PS Depts. in last 15/ 17 years has been very disappointing, nobody wants to do anything, and apparently couldn’t care less, I’ve met it at first hand, and I have also heard nothing positive from the General Public. Fair play to you for being pleasant to the public, But, you are in the Minority, so don’t bother your but defending them.
@Eugene Comaskey: Eugene can you not your own posts? Citing likes as a measure of your accuracy is exactly what you did. So you worked diligently for 30 years in the PS, I’ve done the same for the past 17 but most everyone else is “sitting on their hands all day talking about foreign holidays and drinking tea”? We just happen to be the 2 conscientious ones? What are the odds? Well in and hr and a half’s time I’ll be in a school full of people who fit the same description. Don’t project your own anecdotal experience onto hundreds of thousands of people. Are their lazy numpties in the PS? Course there are, they’re everywhere in every field. Your less than satisfactory experience doesn’t make them the majority.
Total joke of a country! Only because of what’s running it!
@Bull McCabe: who would you suggest then
@Paul Furey: Anyone else.
@Denis McClean: Really? SF, the Greens, a flock of Healy Raes, Social Democrats, PBP, Shane Ross….the choices are delightful.
@Paul Furey: party’s are irrelevant! People with experience,knowledge and wisdom. Not college drop outs and chancers!
@Denis McClean: exactly that…. Anyone else
@Paul Furey: then it’s OK to vote for these self-serving FG shysters again?
@Leo Lalor: that’s why the next government will be the return of the FF/GP coalition with FG providing confidence and supply if needed.
Just in case you think these guys work for us. Disgraceful. They are not accountable to us peasants. Where is my Republic?
@Mjhint: What a great slogan to have on a ” I’m sick of the way this country is being run march”. Where is our Republic indeed?
Cover up no mater what way its looked at pure and simple.
@Paul Mc: Pretty bad cover up considering you’re reading an article on the journal about it though?
He works for us he should not have a choice.
The government are playing a tactical game with the fallout on this PSC. Their sole objective is to keep the truth hidden until after the GE sometime next year. This government do not want people holding them to account in any GE. So confident are FG that the ruling cabal of FG/FF continuing is assured if they can bluster, lie,obstruct, anything at all to delay answering the questions needed to be answered on why they forced this illegal instrument, the PSC on over 3 million people, and why they refuse to destroy the illegal database they hold on over 3 million Irish citizens.
When there’s no accountability, there’s no democracy.
@Dave Doyle: Ireland is morphing into the old East Germany.
@Gus Sheridan: With the added advantages of modern technology.
Hopefully, and I say Hopefully, the Data Protection Commissioner has the very best Advice here, then She will win out and Regina will bite the dust , she will be sent packing at the next election, along with this inept FG Government. We are giving out about Boris across the way saying that He will defy the law ow the land, and we have Regina standing steadfast against the Data Commissioner. Have any of them any bits of savvy left? , where is the Democratic Principles gone? We need this FG outfit out ASAP.
Where’s the so called taoiseach Varadkar. It’s no wonder the country is going down the toilet with these people in charge. It’s sad to think people died for this country and what we accept. If they won’t appear dismiss them.
@Leo Lalor: Varadkar is too busy with his teams of advisors, consultants and PR gurus. Funny thing is even spending all that money to make him look like a leader it has failed at every opportunity. I’m sure he’s too busy preparing to meet Boris Johnson next week for the tamest, ‘what was the point in that?’ conversation since the first one. He is far too important to be dealing with national issues…
He’s busy ,well he’s just got busier , he’s wanted by a commission, it’s happened every day in the real world people get busier,may be he should not be left anywhere near the budget until he’s accounted for himself
Mc Guinness has a neck and like all in F.F.a very short memory. They broke the country and still haven’t answered the questions.
@John Tobin: It makes for great deflection from those matters.
Great, detailed, and informing article. Good reading at 2am…
It’s a lot harder rolling a stinking carcass than kicking a can down the road…
2 fingers to the lot of Ye, yeah thats how it works in Ireland
He should not have any choice in the matter considering his JOB TITLE
For a govt claiming they have “strong legal advice “regarding the PSC they don’t seem to confident to disclose it..definitely running scared.
@paul gurney: The matter is expected to go to the High Court and you expect one side to disclose their hand in advance? This will done through papers being lodged with the Court. Perfectly normal. No Govt has ever been obliged to reveal its own legal advice to the Oireachtas.
Mr Watt and the Minister should not only attend the Finance Committee but PAC as well…. in the public interest!
Jail him.
He should be retired from his position if he won’t answer to the public.
He is breaking his contract. Grounds for dismissal
And we’re forgetting we voted down subpoena power to committees. Now we suffer, and it might be generations before it is on the ballot again!
@John Flood: Thank goodness we did vote it down. I wouldn’t trust any of them with such powers. McGuinness is grandstanding again. He knows full well that both the Minister and the SG find themselves in their busiest time of the year complicated by Brexit and the need to prepare two budgets. I am sure both the minister and SG will be more than happy to attend after the budget is over. Priorities, priorities.
@John R: Grandstanding is being done by FG and this civil servant Watt. Anything to obstruct questions and accountability before the proposed GE.
That’s FG’s priority.
ha ha ha ha
Is this not the civil servant the politicians would not listen to regarding the children’s hospital? Or am I mistaken? Now he is being hung out to dry on this issue! I was wondering when that would happen.Most commenting here haven’t even read the full article anyway..
He refuses to appear before a committee? What idiot told him it was optional
The PAC is just a showboating exercise for McGuinness et al. Anyway why should a senior civil servant have to answer questions from politicians for implementing policies directed by other politicians? It’s not like it was his ducking idea!!!
A civil servant not serving the people. Sack him. Breach of contract. Simple
Who is running this country if he was working for a private Co he would be answering to shareholders and that is us he works for us wages pension payed with taxpayers money change the law what he is saying f_ _ k off don’t be annoying me bet he goes home everyday @4oclock
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