On Saturday afternoon, the McAtamneys gathered around the television in their living room.

This was nothing out-of-the-ordinary for the Enniskillen family, but what they were watching was far from the everyday.

On the screen, images of elected representatives from across the political divide re-entering Stormont for the first time in almost two years.

It was a historic moment. The impasse was over and Stormont, a disused space for so long, was once again a hive of activity.

The McAtamney children, Aaliyah (8) Corey (7) and Louisa (5) might not know it yet, but the decisions of those political figures on the screen will shape the Northern Ireland they will grow up in. 

Equally, these decisions will also have a bearing on mum and dad, Sinead and Kevin. Grown-up issues like hospital waiting lists, childcare costs and inflation are just some of the things that they hope politicians will sort out. 

Indeed, the restoration of Stormont was a significant moment for both young and old.

Much like the McAtamney's living room - which Sinead professes to be a space of '"togetherness" for the family - fresh commitments of unity were made by political figures on Saturday.

The children were understandably only half-interested when Michelle O'Neill, Northern Ireland's new First Minister, delivered her speech.

Sinead and Kevin tried to explain some of what was happening to the youngsters, albeit in vain. 

This, grown-ups like Sinead and Kevin know all too well the significance of this particular moment.

As Northern Ireland's first Nationalist First Minister, Ms O'Neill pledged to be a "First Minister for all", adding that the power-sharing coalition would "serve everyone equally".

In a similar vein, Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, pledged to "work tirelessly to deliver for Northern Ireland - from all and every background".

Such a moment of unity is rare within Northern Ireland politics, and the McAtamneys agreed that this was an important moment.

"For the first time in a long time there is a genuine sense of optimism for the future," Sinead recounted.

"We are moving forward with the hope that everyone will be working together to make it a better place for everyone to live.

“We will remember this day for some time to come. Our children are rather young to be interested in politics, but we were trying to explain to them what it was all about.

"We figure that they are going to be seeing these people in the news a lot more. They will soon get to know them."

Sinead added that she is hopeful that she will look back on this day as a "turning point" for Northern Ireland politics - a point when sectarianism and division are banished to the history books.

Only time will tell - and for now, the McAtamneys are hopeful that politicians will move to address the immediate issues facing local families in Fermanagh.

“We feel that the situation in Stormont is personal to every family,” Sinead said. “We all know there are massive waiting lists within the NHS, which impacts so many people locally. Waiting lists for illnesses such as cancer are colossal.

“Childcare is also a huge issue for young families. The same childcare system that is available in the UK needs to be brought over here.

“Public sector pay also needs to be urgently addressed. The strikes had a big impact on everyone and politicians need to sort this out.”

Indeed, addressing these issues would pave the way for a brighter future for so many in Northern Ireland.

On Saturday, hope for the future was written large. Hopes for a sense of unity, for progress.

“In a way, Saturday has brought hope for everyone,” Sinead concluded. “We are hopeful for a future where equality, inclusion and progress will be embraced.”