Interviewed by Joanna Lyttle / photos by John Nutley

Joanna: How long have you lived in your area?
Bertie: I have lived in Corness, Monaghan for 53 years.

Joanna: What’s a fond memory you have of living here?
Bertie: That my parents saw where I settled. Got married and raised our family here and now we have our grandchildren coming and going.

Joanna: Have you seen this community come back from hard times before?
Bertie: Yes. We have come through two bad recessions in the past, but this Covid lockdown has really been all so much worse. Not being able to mingle with family was the worst part.

Joanna: What are some things that have helped you through lockdown and what brings you joy?
Bertie: Having had church lockdowns it meant that I had to learn to use facebook and the apt ways to communicate with the church and family. After early hiccups it was really worthwhile and now I find it all very useful.

Joanna: What sort of things are you doing now to stay connected to your community and family and what does community mean to you?
Bertie: I probably answered this question above but I have been keeping in contact with family and church members frequently.

Below are some portraits of Bertie and the Facebook cover image Joanna made for Bertie’s local church page