Nicola Anderson

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks in Dublin, Ireland, September 9, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Swings and arrows in a year of Brexit, Boris bluster and blushing faces

While politically the big worry was certainly what was happening across the Irish Sea, there were plenty of homegrown concerns to keep our elected representatives awake at night during 2019.

Dublin players, from left, Kevin McManamon, Michael Fitzsimons, Philly McMahon and John Small. Picture: Sportsfile

Implosion of FAI takes the shine off year of success and sporting glory

It was the year of the magnificent Dublin five-in-a-row and Shane Lowry lifted the Claret Jug in glorious triumph at the Open in Portrush.

homeless boy ‘Sam’ eats his dinner off a sheet of cardboard

How the image of 'Sam' eating dinner on path fuelled anger... and other big stories from 2019

A small child, eating his dinner off a piece of cardboard while crouched on a Dublin footpath was the single pitiful image that summed up the Ireland of 2019.

Trip: ‘Irish Independent’ writer Nicola Anderson, who got the 46A bus from Dún Laoghaire to the city centre. Photo: Mark Condren

Nicola Anderson: 'The 12.5km bus journey that takes almost 70 minutes to reach city centre'

Quality Bus Corridors. They have a reassuring ring to them. A whispered suggestion that if our cities were criss-crossed with them, all our commuting troubles would just melt away. But, as always, life gets in the way.

'She was unrecognisable. I’ll never forget the shock of it' - model Tiffany Stanley on losing her mother to skin cancer

Top Model Tiffany Stanley has told of the heartbreaking loss of her beloved mother at the age of just 58.

INVESTORS have been blocked from withdrawing their money from two commercial property funds run by pensions and investment giant Aviva.

Broken society: Family living in shed is a sign Dublin is teetering on the edge

In a cold, uninhabitable garden shed with no cooking facilities in north Co Dublin lives a family.

Farewell: Gay Byrne’s funeral cortège outside the Pro Cathedral in Dublin yesterday. Photo: Gerry Mooney

One final round of warm applause before Gay laid to rest

In earlier times, the staunch army of women so determined to get a good seat near the front of the church had been glued to the radio in their kitchens, equally determined not to miss a single word.

The harrowing ordeal for parents who adopted Ana Kriegel as a baby: 'Please keep her in your hearts somewhere'

Holding hands tightly, Patric and Geraldine Kriegel exited the court complex for a final time, with Ms Kriegel giving a tiny, courageous smile.

Patric and Geraldine Kriegel, parents of murdered schoolgirl Ana Kriegel, leaving court after the sentence hearing for the two boys convicted of Ana's murder. Picture: Collins Courts

'Forever is not long enough' - heartbroken parents of Ana Kriegel speak out after her killers are sentenced

The heartbroken parents of Ana Kriegel have said that “justice has been served for Ana” but that, for them, “forever is not long enough”.

Vibrant, colourful, beautiful: Ana Kriegel as peers will remember her

Vibrant, colourful and beautiful. This is Ana Kriegel as her peers remember her.

Important lesson: The Teaching Council’s code of conduct does not specifically outlaw teacher-pupil relationships. Stock picture

Female teacher jailed for sex with her pupil (16) had 'groomed' him, says expert

A secondary-school teacher jailed for a year having sex with one of her pupils had "groomed" the teenage boy, according to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

Heartache: Patric and Geraldine Kriegel (far left), parents of Ana Kriegel, leaving court after the sentence hearing for the two boys convicted of her murder. Photo: Collins Courts

'We waited for our girl to come home. But she never did'

She was "the most wonderful child in the world", her mother said. The love of their lives.

Bobby Ryan’s children Robert and Michelle hold a photo of their murdered father outside court. Picture: Steve Humphreys

Mr Moonlight murder: 'we're getting on with things as best you can' - Bobby Ryan's family six months on from trial

As a murderous tale of jealousy, treachery and brutality unspooled in a stuffy courtroom, it was a trial that gripped the nation.

Nicola Anderson: 'Deputies sat like pupils kept late in class because no one will own up'

It was the near-comical sight of nine people flocking around a little table, craning their necks that proved we had reached peak Votegate.

Stephen Teap, Vicky Phelan and Lorraine Walsh on their way into the Dáil. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

'I'm sorry' changes nothing in my house: husband

Among the crowd in the packed public gallery was one woman, elegantly made-up and dressed in black with a gold necklace.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during a press briefing at Government Buildings, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins

'We say sorry to those whose lives were shattered' - Leo Varadkar makes formal apology to victims of CervicalCheck scandal

THE Taoiseach has made a formal apology to the women and their loved ones who suffered in the fallout of the Cervical Check scandal, describing it as a debacle that has left the country "heartbroken".

Changing times: Artwork showing the history of Sunderland. Photo: Scott Heppell

Nicola Anderson: 'Sunderland is the heartland of Leave, but it's Nissan that drives local fears'

It's bleak on the shrunken streets of Sunderland. This is a sad place, where solitary elderly men sitting on benches outdoors turn out to be retired workers from the silenced shipyards and coal pits.

Don't let night out for nice meal turn into a maths test

It's a 'significant' birthday and you're all dressed up and ready to party.

Changing attitudes: Naomi Donaldson, Ellen McEvoy, Moira McLaughlin, and Deirdre Daly took part in the Maternal Health and Maternal Morbidity in Ireland (Mammi) study.

'I wanted someone to validate my loneliness, not dismiss it'

'Mom turned upside down is wow!"

Rural life: Billy Collins, from Wexford town, rides his Sulky past a field in Kilmore, Co Wexford. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Nicola Anderson: 'Train heads to utopian heartlands of rural Ireland'

On a parallel track to the Brexit train, another locomotive is slowly chugging along - and it may be about to pick up speed.

Home turf: Colm Deevey, from Kilcormac, used to work for Bord na Móna in a briquette factory, but now rents out bikes to visitors at Lough Boora Discovery Park. Photo: Mark Condren

All change in the bogs - but signs of new beginning

From his crow's nest of a rusting 'loco' once used to ferry turf, Colm Deevey surveys the landscape at Lough Boora Discovery Park in Offaly.

Greeting: Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe at Government Buildings in Dublin yesterday on his way to delivering Budget 2020. photo: pa

Nicola Anderson: 'Donohoe's doomsday Brexit Budget the shape of things to come'

BURIED amid the dreadful script to the film 'Dumb and Dumberer' was one good line: "So this is what rock bottom feels like. Meh. It's not so bad."

Logging on: Direct Provision volunteers in Kenmare, Co Kerry, help to recreate an ancient Irish dugout boat

Nicola Anderson : 'One community proves all it takes is a 'cupán tae' and good chat to break down the barriers'

It was cold and dark when a coach-load of people with no idea of where they were going landed in the town that was to become their home.

Disgusted: Mayor of Kerry Niall Kelleher condemned the stickers and removed some himself. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Anger over racist stickers near site where citizenship is granted

Gardaí are investigating after a number of racist stickers appeared near the Killarney Convention Centre, where thousands of new Irish are conferred with citizenship each year.

All smiles: Nancy Colton, Lorraine Fleming, Regina O’Toole and Noelle McNamara outside the Gateway Hotel. Photograph: Hany Marzouk

Nicola Anderson: 'The disenfranchised, exhausted humans at the centre of all this are lost in the furore'

NO to the cruelty of Direct Provision? Or just 'No to Direct Provision in my backyard'?

Investigation: Members of the PSNI near a laneway leading to the home of Kevin Lunney, in Co Fermanagh. Picture credit: Damien Eagers

Kidnapped Quinn executive Kevin Lunney 'thought he'd never see his wife or kids again'

Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) executive Kevin Lunney feared never seeing his wife or kids again after his assault and abduction earlier this week, a friend has said.

Solidarity: DUP leader Arlene Foster chats with Kevin Lunney’s brother Tony at the Quinn Industrial Holdings rally in support of the injured man. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Staff demand an end to 'reign of terror' after 'attack on us all'

After a statement of support for Kevin Lunney and his family had been read out, staff from Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) remained where they were standing, trauma and revulsion still etched on their faces at the ferocity of the attack on their colleague.

Injured: Kevin Lunney was abducted from his home and assaulted, before being dumped at the side of the road in Co Cavan. Photo: Lorraine Teevan

Kevin Lunney 'feared never seeing wife and kids again' - priest spoke with Quinn executive following attack

Quinn Holdings executive Kevin Lunney feared never seeing his wife or kids again after his assault and abduction earlier this week, a friend has said.

Fun in the sun: Sisters Maeve (6), Emily (3) and Alison Armitage (8), from Ballyfin, Co Laois, play with straw before ploughing starts in Fenagh. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Leo ploughs on - and confides about new talks with Johnson

Ploughman Coleman Cogan from Co Sligo was reminding Leo that he would be well able for a spot of ploughing because he had already tried it last year.

National Brown bread baking competition winner, Samara Ward from Inver Co. Donegal celebrates her win. Picture; Gerry Mooney

'I came second last year so I said I’d have one more shot at it' - winner of National Brown Bread Baking competition announced

IT was second times a charm for the winner of the National Brown Bread Baking competition at the Ploughing Championships.