Ireland marks five years since its first Covid-19 case, reflecting on the profound changes brought by the pandemic. The Sunday Independent revisits that moment, featuring personal stories and the social toll experienced by many. Iconic photographs, like that of Robert Maguire at a deserted funeral, illustrate the deep sorrow and isolation that characterized the early days of lockdown. The narrative includes interviews with individuals affected, highlighting both personal transformations and broader societal shifts in the wake of the crisis.
Wearing a surgical mask outside Dublin's Mount Jerome cemetery, funeral director Robert Maguire stood in front of a hearse carrying the remains of John Gallagher, a community leader whose life had been claimed by Covid-19.
It was an image that stopped the country in its tracks, one of those pictures that says far more than a thousand words ever could.
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