Ireland's Greatest Friendship – the finalists

Majella Asple, Co Wexford

We sat beside each other as strangers in primary school, became friends with time and developed a lifelong friendship. We now live thousands of miles apart. We meet up when we can. In this photo, we hiked to Everest base camp together. I travelled from Wexford and Stephanie from Melbourne. The trip was poignant of the kind of friendship we share over 40 years. We’ve only ever lifted each other up. Even as children, we always treated each other in the best way possible. When COVID-19 is truly over, we’ll plan the next adventure and when we meet, it will seem like we spoke to each other last week.

We’d do that trip again in a heartbeat if we could. It was really magical.

Sharon Mowat Driscoll, Co Limerick

Ken Driscoll and his two children, Jack and Ciara, enjoying a funny moment during a summer sunset. Roars of laughter could be heard doing this. They are best buddies and created fun memories in challenging times.

Jack and Ciara both attend secondary school in Killarney. I entitled this photograph The Three of Us.

Jennifer Mackintosh, Co Waterford

Here’s my little girl on a video call to her daddy when he was working away from home. The filters kept her engaged. We regularly use video calls now to keep in touch with family and friends we can’t meet in person due to the pandemic. It’s been a godsend.

Aisling Whooley, Co Cork

Shazia and I have been best friends for about 13 years. We met in secondary school and she has been my support throughout. Every day, we shared our nature stories to get us through school lunches; we always talked everything nature related. Shazia would usually take holidays to the beach and study the fish in the rock pools, and I would observe the birds on our farmland. We both have the utmost respect and love for nature. Naturally, Shazia went on to study marine biology and I studied horticulture. Even though we were in different colleges, that did not stop us from keeping in touch. Ever since I got my first car, myself and Shazia go on adventures every weekend mainly to west Cork, we would take grassy random extremely narrow roads to find new places, fauna, and marine life. Recently, Shazia was going through her photos and found this gem of a picture which I had taken with my drone. As I looked at it, it suddenly dawned on me how lucky we are to have nature in these strange times and how much we miss our day trips. This photo will remind me not to take everyday things for granted and seize the occasion.

Catharina Ward, Co Cork

My four boys are in the photo, they don’t have any other brothers or sisters.

The three younger boys go to Dromore National School, Bantry. Jack goes to school in Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, Bantry.

Audrey Hastings, Co Cork

My dad, Jim Hastings, playing it very safe during the COVID-19 restrictions; chatting from a distance to three of his grandchildren over the garden hedge. He was not long after surgery, after having a stroke in the height of the pandemic, and was happy and relieved sitting in the warm spring sunshine having the chats. The children in the photo are Lily, 14; Ben, 12; and Jake Anglim, nine, from Carrigaline, Co Cork.

Deirdre McGahon Mulvey, Co Westmeath

This photograph captures our dad, Tom McGahon, farming with his daughters, Deirdre and Maria, on our family farm in January 2021. We are, and always have been, great friends.

Marc Ahearne, Co Tipperary

My two daughters Aiya and Aoibhe enjoining online games.

Bill Harrington, Co Cork

I took this photo of my mom and I with my drone a week after her own mom passed away, in July 2020. This is my mom’s home place where I used to visit my gran and we are lying in the back garden. My mom is a nurse, she has worked through the pandemic and it’s just me and her now. She is my best friend.

Tanya Gaine, Co Kilkenny

My youngest son and his grandad are the best of buddies! They share a name and the same sense of fun.