Pictures: Tears of joy as loved ones welcomed home at airport

Families across Cork will be celebrating the gift of family this Christmas, with many welcoming loved ones home through Cork Airport.

Kay O’Regan and her husband waited patiently for the Ryanair flight coming from Amsterdam, ready to welcome their son home.

“We’re waiting for our eldest son this morning. He is coming with his partner and their ten-month-old baby. They’re getting a connecting flight from Australia through Amsterdam. He’s there ten years and his partner is Australian.”

The couple from Turner’s Cross are celebrating more than just Christmas this festive season, as their son Robert, his partner Tessa and their baby Zach, travelled home for a very special reason.

“They’re coming home for Christmas but also for my daughter’s wedding. My daughter is getting married on the 30th of this month. She only arrived from Perth herself last Monday,” the mother gushed proudly.

Kay continued: 

“Covid stopped them from coming home for Christmas the last few years. Our daughters big wedding now will bring us together this year.”

The couple spoke of their excitement to have their entire family together again and to celebrate their daughter Ciara’s wedding as one.

Amongst the many families waiting to see their loved ones come through the arrival gates, two ‘welcome home’ balloons stood out against the crowd.

Fionn (9) and Charlotte (7), eagerly awaited the arrival of their aunt Olivia Overman, alongside her husband Brian and their two kids Kavan and Rowan.

“She’s coming from Washington. We’re super excited to see her, we even got the day off school to come and meet her at the airport,” Fionn excitedly exclaimed.

Mum Carol explained how much they have missed the family but with Covid-19 restrictions lifted, they can finally reunite.

“They haven’t come in three years because of Covid. They would normally come for Christmas every second year but because of Covid things changed and they couldn’t. Their son, Kavan is 16 now so he has turned from a little boy to a man almost, so we are excited to see him.

“We have only seen pictures but there have been so many changes that we have missed,” Carol said.

With many families returning home to visit over the Christmas, one couple were reuniting in their new home.

Clutching a bouquet of flowers, David Vidas patiently waited for his wife to arrive from the Philippines.

“I’m waiting for my wife, Pamela. We have just relocated to Ireland.

“I moved first and I have been here alone for a month and a half. She was finishing her work and is now coming here for good.”

David embraced his wife in a hug, excited to celebrate their first Christmas together in Cork in their rented home before searching for their forever home.

The sound of laughter was also joined by the Carrigaline Men’s Shed choir, who sang Christmas carols to welcome the travellers back to Cork.