A Cavan sculptor says she hopes her work will allow people to remember the hardship of the pandemic in a "positive and hopeful way".
When Marie Smith was asked by Cootehill Arts Festival to sum up in one word what the first covid-19 lockdown meant to her, she replied with "contact" - because our contact with one another had been taken away.
This inspired a sculpture called "The Hug", which features two people "sharing a heartfelt hug".
Advertisement
It's now been turned into a wall art version, which is being sent to people all over the world, and Marie spoke to Northern Sound about what people have been gaining from the artwork:
