Balcony Bingo! Irish take on Spain’s balcony antics!

WHILE Ireland, like the UK, looks to Italy and Spain for the emerging Covid-19 pattern, it seems the Irish have a unique way to keep spirits up and pass the time.
The Italians take to their balconies to sing, and the Spanish applaud the hard work of the medical and emergency staff, but in Dublin’s fair city, the residents of one block of flats decided to play balcony bingo. The social distancing game was hosted by a resident, who set up a microphone and speakers in front of the building, to entertain those at the doors of their homes.

The mood was high during the game, as one family on a second-floor balcony, called house. The residents of Canon Mooney Gardens, in the Ringsend area of the capital, came out in force, but remained apart, to enjoy the fun. The man behind the plan is local, Michael Larkin, who has admitted that he has never even played a game before, but wanted to get his neighbours together in the safest, most fun way possible. Dressed in a white disposal boiler suit, mask and gloves, he set up his calling station on top of the sheds, in the middle of the courtyard at the front of the complex.
While things were being set up and the bingo cards distributed to the balconies, his daughter Hollie acted as DJ, opting for Tina Turner and Whitney Houston to set the tone. Despite extremely cold weather, the game went on for over two hours, with prizes such as Easter Eggs for the children, as well as highly sought after loo roll for the adults. Due to the success of the game, it looks set to become a regular thing during the ongoing crisis.