It's been observed that aside from the anxiety and illness caused by the COVID-19 one positive has been a slowing down of daily life that's allowed us to stop take stock and look around us in a way our busy daily lives seldom allow for. One man took this to the extreme filming the almost abandoned streets of Dublin during the first month of lockdown and the results are truly beautiful.
Barry Gormley, a graphics operator by trade, took to the empty streets of Dublin during his daily allotted exercise time, with his ten-month-old son, Cillian.
He told IrishCentral he through this Dublin Lockdown COVID19 documentary "might be a good record to have to show him when he is older what it was like during an epidemic lockdown. Hopefully, he won't have to experience too many in his lifetime."
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"Walking around a Dublin this quiet was strangely beautiful. The weather has been particularly good so it's been tougher again for people to stick to limited trips outside for exercise, said Gormley.
![Ryan's on Camden Street boarded up. Ryan's on Camden Street boarded up.](https://www.irishcentral.com/uploads/assets-v2/2020/4/resized_MI_Ryans_Camden_Street_Barry_Gormley.jpg)
Ryan's on Camden Street boarded up.
He said the coronavirus lockdown has also highlighted some of the problems in the city.
"When everyone who could be inside was, those that couldn't as easily shelter in place, the homeless and those without means stood out more than normal when there were no other crowds to help them blend in."
Gormley said that Dubliners seemed to immediately, willingly comply with social distancing he also noticed that people are being more friendly while doing it.
He said "There's more of people saying hello to each other as they pass,
I think its an attempt to not seem rude while trying to maintain a distance, and sure when you may be the only two people on a street, why not."
![An aerial shot of D'Olier Street and Westmoreland Street, in Dublin city center. An aerial shot of D'Olier Street and Westmoreland Street, in Dublin city center.](https://www.irishcentral.com/uploads/assets-v2/2020/4/resized_MI_Westmoreland_Dolier_street_Barry_Gormley.jpg)
An aerial shot of D'Olier Street and Westmoreland Street, in Dublin city center.
In the middle of Dublin city, usually a buzzing metropolitan, Gormley says the strangest sight is seeing empty pubs during the fine April weather.
"To see the sun shining and to not see the streets outside the likes of the Barge, Grogans, and Kehoes packed is almost a dystopian vision of Dublin," he added.
What he's enjoyed has been the "little acts of kindness" he's spotted around the city.
He said "Like people putting messages of support, or teddys for Easter for children as they walked by. Signs of kindness that you hope are here to stay once everything opens up again."
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Check out the stunning documentary here:
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