A married couple from Zimbabwe who moved to Co Cork last March to stay in a “retirement home for decayed gentlemen” were among the eager crowd in the arrivals hall at Cork Airport yesterday.
Carol and Alban Williams are living in accommodation at Kingston College in Mitchelstown since March. They were awaiting the arrival of their friends from Zimbabwe, John and Barbara Collins, who were keen to sample a traditional Irish Christmas. Ms Williams said she and her husband relocated to Ireland to be closer to their children, who live in the UK, and she was adapting to a new life after almost 70 years in Zimbabwe.
“The stress of Zimbabwe was just getting too much,” she said. “The economy and the medical and all the rest of it. We are thrilled to be here and to be spending Christmas with our friends.” Mr Williams, a South African native, said there were quite a few people from South African and Zimbabwe living at Kingston College. “We are loving it.”
Mairéad Welch, from Killavullen, Co Cork, was waiting for her sister, Pat Prentice, who has been living in the US “by accident” since 1990 after originally going to do a stint as an au pair.
Ms Welch said her sister and got married and was happily based in Savannah, Georgia, since. “I can’t wait to see her. When I see her, it is like she has never been away.” Ms Prentice was returning to Cork for Christmas for the first time in five years but the visit would be bittersweet, Ms Welch said, as their mother now had Alzheimer’s.
“We are going to see her in a minute. Her name is Madge. She doesn’t know her own name for about five years,” Ms Welch said. “She is 87 and she is on no medication. She is a really healthy person. It is sad. My other sister buried her husband this year, so it has been a tough year.”
Wanfred Waterman, who had stepped off a connecting flight from Australia, said he was looking forward to all the childhood creature comforts.
“It’s good to be back,” he said. “I am from Carrigtwohill originally. . It’s my first Christmas home in five years. I really miss family and friends. It’s a big change being out there at Christmas. It is what you are used to.”
His mother Carmel said her son was always “very funny” and that he brought much happiness to the family home when he came back.
“I miss his humour around the place,” she said. “Every family has their own small things, little traditions that have evolved over the years, things that don’t mean anything in another family but do to us. We put up Christmas cards that Wanfred made when he was seven . . . for him to see when he returns.”