Named the Netwatch ‘Galway Carer of the Year’, Renmore’s Maura Fahy was recognised for her ‘outstanding dedication and contribution’ to her family at the award’s recognition ceremony yesterday (Wednesday ) in the Menlo Park Hotel.
“People often say, ‘aren’t you great for looking after your parents’, and I always think - why wouldn’t we look after our parents? They looked after us and gave us the best years of their lives, so it is a lovely pleasure to be able to care for them and be with them in their last years,” said Maura, dismissing her well deserved praise in that classic, Irish, self-deprecating manner.
A mother of three to Ronan (26 ), Hannah (23 ) and Emma (21 ), Maura took on the responsibility for caring for her parents; Helena (90 ) and Paddy (94 ) 14 years ago, following her father’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent leg amputation.
The level of dedication, compassion and selflessness displayed by Maura over the past decade and a half has earned her the praise of many, resulting in a nomination for Netwatch Ireland’s Galway Carer of the Year 2024 during the summer, with Maura learning of her win in September, just days after Paddy sadly passed away.
Proud
“Dad is probably behind me winning this award, and looking out for me. He appreciated everything I did for him and was so proud of me, so with the news of this award happening around the time that he passed away, it gave me a lift and something else to focus on.”
Maura’s duties as a carer have grown since her father passed away, both emotionally and logistically. Now juggling both her own and her mother’s grief, Maura is also facing a cut in external carer hours, a type of respite service designed to supplement and give family carer’s a break, despite her need now being greater than before due to her mother, Helena’s dementia.
“Getting used to the cut in hours has been difficult, because it halved when Dad passed away, despite the fact that it is needed more than ever before. Family Carers Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association have been a brilliant help though, I can’t thank them enough.”
As Galway Carer of the Year, Maura is now in the running for Connacht Carer of the Year, which will be announced later in November.
Recognition
According to Family Carers Ireland community support manager, Michelle Moriarty, “It means the world to me to be able to do this today, and to highlight Maura. There are so many brilliant family carers out there, so being able to bring Maura to an event like this, to share a coffee and meet other people - something that family carers don’t often get the opportunity to do - it is amazing. It is very well deserved.”
Presenting the award to Maura at the event was Mayor of Galway City, Cllr Peter Keane, who said, “I am honoured and humbled to be presenting you with this award. You are the epitome of the resilience and the love we show to our parents and we are all so proud of you.
“For me, as the first citizen of the city, I am proud of you for the care you have shown to your mother, your father, your three children and now everyone else that you are minding. If we only had more people like Maura Fahy and people such as those from Family Carers Ireland in Galway - it would be an honour and a privilege.”
