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CONFETTI FLUTTERED ON to frontline workers scattered across Times Square after fireworks burst above eerily quiet landmarks from Sydney Harbour Bridge to Copacabana beach, as the world ushered in the New Year with muted celebrations and said good riddance to a pandemic-ridden 2020.
After a grinding year that has seen at least 1.8 million people die from Covid-19, fresh waves of infection have sparked renewed lockdowns and forced would-be revellers to extend their 2020 tradition of watching events from the sofa.
In New York’s Times Square, the usual overflow crowd was replaced with a group of specially invited frontline workers, separated by barricades to enforce social distancing. The public was blocked from the square, where a crystal ball dropped at midnight following performances from stars including Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Gaynor.
In Brazil – where 195,000 people have died of Covid-19, the second-highest death toll – Rio de Janeiro blocked the usual swarms of revellers from gathering on Copacabana beach.
That did not stop people from lighting up the city’s iconic skyline with amateur fireworks of their own, whose booms competed with the banging pots of critics protesting against far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
The eagerly awaited first seconds of 2021 fell on the Pacific nations of Kiribati and Samoa. The uninhabited Howland and Baker Islands will be the last to tip over into the New Year.
In New Zealand, which has won plaudits for its handling of the coronavirus, large crowds gathered in Auckland for a fireworks display.
In Australia’s largest city, Sydney, fireworks lit up the glittering harbour with a dazzling display, but few spectators watched in person.
“I think everybody is looking towards 2021 as a fresh beginning and a fresh start,” Karen Roberts, among the lucky few who were allowed past checkpoints around the area, told AFP at a bar nestled under the Sydney Opera House.
Some Hong Kongers, despite restrictions, ventured out to mark the start of the year, gathering on the Victoria Harbour waterfront to take selfies.
In Tokyo, where residents face the prospect of a state of emergency after infections touched new highs, people queued in face masks to offer New Year prayers.
Wuhan in China, where the virus first appeared late last year, saw thousands gather to celebrate.
Elsewhere, the mood was more downbeat.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in a New Year’s address that a second wave of Covid-19 was battering the nation.
“The fight against it does not stop for a minute,” he said.
Italy is on a nationwide lockdown until January 7 with a 10 pm curfew in place.
From France to Latvia and Brazil, police and – in some cases – military personnel were deployed to enforce curfews or bans on large gatherings.
Paris and Athens both featured socially distanced gatherings, with a virtual concert and light show over Notre Dame in the French capital and fireworks over the Acropolis in Greece.
In London, a few dozen revelers arrived in Parliament Square to watch Big Ben chime 11:00 pm — midnight in Brussels — marking the moment that Brexit finally became a reality, with Britain severing its turbulent half-century partnership with Europe.
Police ordered them home well before midnight, however.
A fireworks and laser show was held in Dubai at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, where there has been a slew of new cases. Those watching were required to wear masks and register with identifying QR codes.
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Congrats! David V Goliath.
@George McCarthy: Congrats my hole, one big company selling shite against a bigger company selling shite not to mention the rubbish from both all over the country.
@Justin Gillespie: oh zip up the Begrudgery, some people might eat ***te food, but you Speak it based on that choice Vocabulary you are using.
@Margate: Fair play.. Well done Supermacs!
They’ll never get their greedy hands on the trademark for “shnackbox”
@Grumpyoldtroll: or the chicken sangwich
@Grumpyoldtroll: or the mother of all drunk food if you get someone sound behind the till….a shnacko fries-snackbox with a load of taco mince on top. Class!
It was only a couple of years ago that Supermacs objected to a new take away in Eyre Square in Galway.
Letters were sent from local residents helping with the
planning being turned down…..
Turned out the addresses if the houses that lidgedthe objections were owned by Supermacs owner and the so called residents that signed the letters never really existed…
Double dealing and double standards frpm Supermacs
owner…. Cowboy
@Money Magnets: dirt box
@Money Magnets: well pointed Outside High Level the hypocrisy of him portraying himself as the victim while he strangled the little guy trying to compete with him in what he sees as his Galway. He’s going to open across Europe, that will be a laugh
@Money Magnets: lickin greasy lips n using sausage fingers
@Money Magnets: if as you state
Then we need a lot more who are able to employ as many people as SUPER Macs
The West Awake
I’m no fan of the supremacs owner but we’ll done for sticking it too an absolute corporate bully
Same happened here in Ennis recently. Except the letters sent fraudulently were in favour of pat Mcdonagh building a new motorway plaza. Apparently there was names and addresses randomly taken off the electoral register.
Well done Pat and all your crew, best of luck for the future..
Love your food…….
Would a free voucher be out of the question?
@Gerard hayes: yes Gerard. The journal is not the right place for you online influencers to be begging for freebees
@Gerard hayes: Have some respect for yourself for Christs sake
McDonagh made out to be some kind of hero for selling heart attack muck
What’s a Bic mac? Are supersized edible pens coming on the market now?
Netflix documentary on the way
Great result. Now reduce your prices! Exorbitant in Obama Plaza. Nearly €10 for a burger meal too much when obviously travelling with a family.
Congrats are in order! Well done to pat for sticking it out a cracking result.
The branch in Thurles is very good. Good supporter of GAA as well. Good result, well done Pat.
@sean de paore: pathetic
McDonalds always had a Mac Chip on their shoulder.
Terrible food, dubious business practices, dodgy character all together. Let the Eejit believe his own press and open across Europe and compete with Mc Donald’s there that will be funny. Wonder how his chain inAustralia is getting along? He loves a bit of coverage
The Mc Donald’s brand was robbed from the Mc Donald brothers in the first place
@FlopFlipU: eh it wasn’t robbed actually – the Mc Donald brothers sold it to Ray Krock for almost 3 million dollars – he then went on to franchise it globally – true he did try exaggerate his role in the birth of orignal mcD’s , but they did sell to him (as they had no ambition to expand )- Ray Kroc can rightly claim the title as the most successful franchisor ever as it was him who took the idea and expanded globally.
F*ck the McDonald’s brotherssssss!
Galway runs this town now.
You’ll do nuttin
I see there looking for people to work on the 29.30 and 31st of Feb at 400 euro each
It’s pretty much all junk food but still it’s nice to see that ” David” can get a look in sometimes too.
Same goes for Supermacs in Ireland where THEY themselves have ,apparently, on occasions,used less than fully transparent methods to stick it to Local Ðavids attempting to get in on the burger act.
Hope Mickey D Higgens wins his case too…
What’s a might Mac in Polsh
A great victory for the smaller business
Good, I love their chicken burger ha
Their food is absolute trash though.. in fairness.
@Ben Coughlan: hit and miss in a few places alright especially Obamas plaza, Charleville is the nicest though in my experience
Rotten grub either way..
Think I’ll start my own business and sell BIG MAX.
I’ll never understand how Supermacs Eyre Square is packed out at night and the Charcoal grill up the road doing food 100 time better. That said, I like an auld Smokey bacon burger every now and then.
There’s nothing like original creativity, and this is certainly nothing like it.
Good!
Does the ad song say “Tasty and tempting oooh that’s Supermac’s” or “Tasty and tempting food at Supermac’s”?
I am no fan of ” fast food” ( and there are plenty of alternatives for people in these outlets if they so choose) but the same ‘Nutrition conscious’ people on here have no issue i suspect with gargling pints, wine, alcohol and god knows what other substances on a very regular basis- which are equally, if not more damaging to their livers and health. Talk about Double Standards!
Jackeens will be raging
He paid right enough but he then reneged on percentage payments and refused to let them use their own name and opened a McDonalds across the road from them which always sold food at a lower price to drive them out of business
My landmark judgement is they both serve absolute shite food so I won’t go to either of them. Let them play EU court games all they want the only ruling that matters is they are both a loada shite!
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