Loneliness is on the rise throughout every sector of society, but in rural Ireland one of the starkest indicators of a lonely population is the number of people presenting to their GP on a weekly basis, for what is their only social interaction.The pandemic forced so many people to isolate, particularly the elderly, and it has been a very slow process convincing people to re-engage in their communities and restore connections. But that is the premise of a HSE led initiative, operating throughout the country, which is connecting people with each other, through common interests and social pursuits.