How was 2020 for you? Irish Examiner classical music writer Cathy Desmond picks her highlights 

It's been a big year of Beethoven, while poet Thomas McCarthy and Hector Ó hÉochagáin's  travel shows also feature 

 Cathy Desmond.

It was a year when Beethoven’s 250th birthday was due to be marked in style, a composer known for his struggle with the vicissitudes of life. Freelance artists from globe-trotting virtuosos to gigging pub musicians faced an existential crisis as their livelihood evaporated. 

While the voices of lobby groups for sport, retail and hospitality clamoured to be heard, it was disheartening that the arts world was given so little consideration by decision makers. That live music and theatre were deemed non-essential, rated below pies and pints, sporting fixtures or shopping sprees must be a bitter pill to swallow for those who have dedicated years to honing their craft.