THE combination of Storm Emma and the Beast from the East left Ireland feeling the chill during a snow-filled week of difficult conditions, but plenty of heartwarming stories have emerged since.
Far away from the clamour for bread, milk and other essential supplies, people from across Ireland have been busy getting on with things and creating some magical memories in the process.
Here are just a few of the fantastic stories guaranteed to warm the heart during this coldest of cold snaps.
Hospital staff helped this little girl experience snow for the first time...
This has to be the most special snowman ever! Little Holly got to play with some snow while in ICU at Our Lady’s Crumlin ❤️ pic.twitter.com/icECofMtwn
— HeartChildrenIreland (@HciCalendar) March 2, 2018
...while this grandson ensured his nana didn't miss out.
A special moment for Nanny O' Sullivan (88), Kilbehenny village, Co. Cork, who could not get out to see the snow, so her son Michael brought her a snowman for her to see & feel. #BeastFromTheEast #StormEmma #Snow pic.twitter.com/c0ycLldEOk
— RTÉ (@rte) March 2, 2018
Ireland's 'mammys' weren't to be outdone either.
Tis my mam (Ann) off to work (Kilkenny)! She works in a local care home and nothing was going to stop her going in. Eddy my nieces dad is the taxi service 😁👏👍💚 Shout-out to the mammys all over Ireland today! Look @MarianKeyes 😁 #StormEmma #Snowmageddon #sneachtageddon #snow pic.twitter.com/9MgWyvWhs7
— Paul Dunphy Esquire. 🏳️🌈 #HireTheSquire! (@pauldunphy) March 2, 2018
The snow created a sense of community, whether through helping one another...
Thanks to the #Knocklyon residents who helped our ambulance out of a sticky spot #sneachta #snow #StormEmma #BeastFromTheEast #Dublin #Ireland pic.twitter.com/ZZxNde5Z4V
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 2, 2018
...or simply enjoying a good old fashioned snowball fight.
Great community spirit in sweetmount, #Dundrum.... #snowmageddon #snow #StormEmma #sneachta #beastfromtheast #BeastFromTheEastireland pic.twitter.com/xraGlHHIn0
— Annie (@Annthepan1) March 2, 2018
The Garda played their part...
Cabinteely Community Garda Gavin Fleet transporting hospital staff to Loughlinstown Hospital and urgent delivery of medication to the Laura Lynn house on Saturday. And thanks to Loughlinstown Hospital Staff for patching up injury received digging out the snow. pic.twitter.com/RybXpEZjXI
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) March 4, 2018
...while hospital staff took care to a whole new level.
Many of our amazing hospital staff are sleeping overnight in the Mater so they can care for patients tomorrow. #StormEmma
Give this as many retweets as you can before they get up in the morning
Video cred to @cirdowling#ThankYou pic.twitter.com/DpiPLl9L73— The Mater Foundation (@TheMaterFoundat) March 1, 2018
Those who braved the snowy conditions found strength in numbers.
Psychiatric nurses walk to work this morning in Waterford #sneachta #liveline @talktojoe1850 pic.twitter.com/YHtFvaexZw
— Liveline (@rteliveline) March 2, 2018
While others found new levels of determination.
This young man and Super Dog Duke managed the #BeastFromTheEast dublin on a Wheelchair Perched on two sleds - #sneachtageddon #SNOWMAGGEDON pic.twitter.com/AxH55H7B5i
— Dr Tom Clonan (@TomClonan) March 2, 2018
Animals were rescued from the elements.
Hareport News: In response to the many queries we've received, hare Emma continues to thrive. Specialist advice has been received on her care & she's gaining weight. She's blissfully unaware of her global fame. #HareEmma pic.twitter.com/448dwU9q9J
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 5, 2018
And babies were born.
Congrats again to the heroes from @CarlowFRS and @AmbulanceNAS who safely delivered a healthy baby girl whilst stuck in the snow last night! #StormEmma #Sneachta > Baby born on side of road after ambulance carrying expectant mother gets stuck in snow https://t.co/NV2zxEeeEA pic.twitter.com/FzkoU6Eihb
— CarlowCountyCouncil (@Carlow_Co_Co) March 1, 2018
People worked tirelessly to keep the roads as clear.
Fair play! The wonderful ground staff of @Beaumont_Dublin clearing paths for our patients @betterbeaumont @HSELive @greenekaren06 @petrinadonnelly #sneachta pic.twitter.com/aI0dKRHorI
— Prof. Fidelma Fitzpatrick (@FfitzP) March 2, 2018
And they kept smiling despite the difficult conditions.
Here’s our frozen crews pictured while clearing frozen points in #Maynooth to keep trains moving #snowselfie #beastfromtheeast #sneachta pic.twitter.com/k8wJYUsD9A
— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) February 28, 2018
Everyone played their part, from farmers...
Wicklow: Locals dug out an ambulance jeep that got stuck while trying to transport a patient home pic.twitter.com/h3ac5AQEu8
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 2, 2018
...right through to hotel staff.
Our team is busy getting duvets ready to send over to @CorkAirport #StormEmma #sharingiscaring pic.twitter.com/W7PnSyEQ2X
— Cork International Hotel (@No1CorkHotel) February 28, 2018
It felt like Christmas had come early for some.
If you thought I was kidding, you clearly don't know me. ❄️💜❄️Hail #ChristmasTheSequel, happening right now in my living room. Never felt so vindicated not getting round to taking down the tree late! ❄️💜❄️Thanks to #TheBeastFromTheEast #StormEmma2018 #sneachtageddon pic.twitter.com/poj5ztgTiu
— Kathryn Daily (@KatDaily57) March 1, 2018
And a few Limerick residents had never even seen snow before.
Snowy scenes were a once in a lifetime spectacle for these friends in Limerick pic.twitter.com/WTIpGDLwaL
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 2, 2018
But it was this grinning granny who became the defining image of Storm Emma in Ireland.
This is our favorite photo since we opened this account😅 86 years old Eileen Maguire and her grandson Jack in Sweeney’s Hill in Rathpeacon, Cork⛄️💚🇮🇪 #cork_daily #photooftheday #snow #thebeastfromtheeast #stormemma #ireland #rte
.
📸by @irishmadegifts 👏🏆 💚#thankyou pic.twitter.com/IhFzgaVgKx— Cork Daily (@CorkDaily) March 2, 2018
It'll take more than a bit of snow to dampen the Irish spirit!
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