BANNERS, BABIES and bouquets were among the treats awaiting the many people who returned home through Dublin airport yesterday to celebrate Christmas.
There were shrieks, sobs and romantic embraces as bleary-eyed passengers hauled their luggage into the arrivals area of Terminal 2, having landed back from destinations including Australia, South Africa and the US.
Jenny O’Sullivan from Kilnamanagh, Dublin, was among a 10- strong festively dressed group on hand to greet her son Raymond (31) on his return from Australia for the first time in more than two years.
The electrician, who like many Irish tradespeople has found work in the Australian mining industry, was forced to leave the country when job opportunities dried up in 2008, Ms O’Sullivan said.
“He’s getting on grand,” she added. “He knows it’s the only place for him to be at the moment because there’s nothing here for him . . . It’s absolutely heartbreaking but I know it’s what he wants at the end of the day because he would be miserable here if he wasn’t working.”
Moments later a collective shriek emanated from the O’Sullivan clan as the automatic doors parted and Raymond, accompanied by his Australian girlfriend Sarah, entered the arrivals hall.
Having been tenderly mobbed by siblings, nieces, nephews and his mum, Raymond said he was looking forward to catching up with friends and family but that he reckoned he would return to Australia for the foreseeable future while the going was good.
“Of course you miss family and friends,” he said, flanked by excited members of his entourage, “but who wouldn’t miss this? It’s something different altogether.”
Across the arrivals hall, newlyweds Tim and Michelle Noone were engaged in a warm embrace on his arrival back from South Africa.
The couple married in May but Tim, an engineer from Skerries, left for Johannesburg in June, where he expects to return for at least another six months in early January.
Michelle visited him in South Africa recently but it was “brilliant” to have him back in Ireland, she said. “This time hasn’t been so bad but before that it was two months [apart].”
Dublin Airport Authority said today would be the busiest of the Christmas season. Over two weeks, 620,000 people are expected to arrive and depart.
The numbers passing through this year are expected to exceed those recorded last year by about 10 per cent, but a considerable cohort of those coming and going last year had to seek alternative arrangements as snow and ice grounded many flights.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of journeys will be made on public and private transport within Ireland, while AA Roadwatch is expecting today to be the busiest day on the roads.
Iarnród Éireann will carry 400,000 passengers over the festive period while Bus Éireann will cater for about 200,000 travellers across the country.
Last-minute shoppers will also add to the congestion as retailers look to today – the last full shopping day before Christmas – as a last chance to buck the recession and improve on last year’s dramatically reduced seasonal takings.
As ever, motorists are advised to keep speed down, ensure all passengers wear their seat belts and never to drink and drive.
Watch a video of people returning home from the US for Christmas at irishtimes.com