12 Positive News Stories That Happened In The Past 12 Months!
As we approach one year since our lives were turned upside down it can be hard not to focus on the negatives.
There is no denying that recent times have been incredibly tough but there have always been some moments of joy and hope.
To try and inject a little bit of positivity into your media consumption here are twelve positive news stories that happened in the last twelve months!
Healthcare heroes and Vaccines
What better way to start this list than with the piece of hope that many are clinging onto. Thanks to the incredible collective efforts of experts and scientists vaccines are being administered right now!
The pandemic also gave us a greater appreciation for the incredible work carried out by all those essential workers in our society. We cannot begin to express our gratitude to all those from the doctors and nurses, to the cleaners and delivery drivers who keep our country going.
The Late Late Toy Show
It might seem a long time ago now but when it comes to positivity it is worth including a show that raised hearts and smiles across the country! The Late Late Toy Show is a beloved event every year but there was something special about the 2020 programme. With a combination of heart-warming moments and adorable reunions we loved this cosy night in.
Rescued Dog
@jeanfrancoiswillem##dog ##lostdog ##rescue ##mountain ##pet ##ireland ##lost ##dublin @ciaranolan05
Tiktok has been a fantastic source of amusement during Lockdown but it also became a platform that allowed positive news stories like this one to be shared. A couple hiking in the Wicklow mountains recently rescued a lost and freezing dog. Beloved pet Neesha had been missing for two weeks before she was saved and reunited with her thrilled owner.
Adopted Animals
Speaking of our canine companions, the past twelve months saw an increase in pets gaining new homes. Many rescue animals found their forever homes and were delighted by the sheer volume of walks we are all taking suddenly! One dog even managed to sprain his tail due to ‘excessive wagging’!
Dublin Zoo Fundraising
Animals are clearly providing a great source of positive news stories with this third entry! The generosity of the Irish people was abundantly demonstrated by the incredible fundraising efforts for Dublin Zoo. Within the same day that Dublin Zoo announced the organisation’s future was at risk, over €1 million euro was raised. You can still donate or sponsor an animal here.
Supporting Irish
Support local and shop Irish movements saw huge increases in support for Irish businesses. More people than ever ordered online from local and independent retailers this year. In fact searches for ‘shop local Ireland’ increased by a mammoth 540% in October 2020!
Biden and Kamala Win
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris triumphed in the 2020 US presidential elections. The duo’s historic win saw the end of Trump (finally) and the inauguration of the first ever female vice-president of the US! Many of the entries on this list have an Irish aspect at their core but I’m sure with his love of Irish poets Biden can be included!
Climate change
Many of the figures we focussed on in 2020 represented bad news but this set of statistics is one to remember for all the right reasons! For the first time a greater proprotion of Europe’s electricity was generated by renewable sources instead of fossil fuels.
An Post Goes Green
Another step in the right direction for our environment was Dublin becoming the first capital city in the world to introduce a postal service with zero emissions!
Same-sex marriage legalised
It might seem insane that this piece of positivity only occurred in the past twelve months, but in 2020 same-sex marriage was legalised in Northern Ireland. The first same-sex couple were married on February 11th in Antrim. We love a good love story!
Community Camaraderie
Understandably most of us are fairly fed-up with lockdown. However, these restricted phases did encourage a sense of community compassion. Friends looked out for each other with check-in phone calls, care-parcels, grocery shop offers and socially distanced parades. Neighbourhood bingo anyone!
Paddleboard rescue
‘We were thinking happy thoughts.’ Cousins Ellen Glynn and Sara Feeney say they did not talk about what could go wrong while stranded at sea off the coast of Galway last month | https://t.co/GAaP6ohEDs pic.twitter.com/5fJKafODQG
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 4, 2020
The news headlines often included gloomy statistics in 2020 so this front page story was one of our favourites! Cousins Sara and Ellen were found clinging to a lobster pot after a night out at sea. The girls were rescued by a fisherman and his son after almost fifteen hours after they went missing.