Limerick uniting to create a dream home for Amy Mulcahy

Amy Mulcahy pictured above with her parents. Picture from DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland.

Limerick uniting to create a dream home for Amy Mulcahy

By I Love Limerick correspondent Sophia DiBattista

DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland is seeking out recruits to help revamp Amy Mulcahy’s house over 9 days, starting on Monday, February 10.

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Amy Mulcahy, a 13-year-old girl from Annacotty, was a member of Athlunkard Boat Club who was thrown overboard in a rowing accident in February 2019.

In the accident, Amy’s hair was caught, and she was fully submerged in water for over 10 minutes. She experienced a cardiac arrest but luckily survived. Unfortunately, Amy suffered brain damage, destroying her sight, speech, and use of her body in the process.

Since then, the club has taken more precautions to prevent accidents like these from happening, however, Amy’s trauma changed her life.

Throughout the year, she has regained her ability to see and speak but still cannot move properly. She currently uses a wheelchair for mobility.

A GoFundMe campaign was previously established to support Amy and her family, raising over €30,000. While this was a major achievement, friends, relatives, and strangers wanted to do more. Their initiative will lead to a total transformation of Amy’s home.

‘DIY SOS Ireland – The Big Build’ is an inspirational and feel-good show airing on RTÉ One, which will see a deserving family facing hugely difficult personal circumstances get a significant home makeover to help improve their quality of life.

Irish viewers will be familiar with the hit show from the UK, where the DIY SOS team there has been helping families & communities for the past 17 years. Now – for the very first time – DIY SOS will by helping families in Ireland. 

In December, DIY SOS: The Big Build posted on Facebook about recruiting volunteers to make Amy’s dream home a reality.

Baz Ashmawy presents the Irish version of DIY SOS. Baz is a renowned presenter, producer, and International Emmy award-winner is the show’s host.

Baz posted a Facebook video, asking people to join the cause for Amy. Baz said, “Her family desperately wants her to have her dignity back, as you should. They want her to feel at home where she’s living.”

Soon after, St. Michael’s Rowing Club in Limerick posted on the same platform looking out for any volunteers, suppliers or labourers to participate.

To help Amy and the rest of the Mulcahy family, the people of Limerick and Ireland as a whole have bound together in hopes of creating a practical home for her.

Everyone in the Limerick area is encouraged to support the efforts or even contribute in some way. They hope carpenters, painters, decorators, fencers, and any labourers unite together for this great enterprise.

Amy’s journey to recovery is inspirational, and the people of Limerick will be with her all through the way. The Big Build Ireland commented on the event saying, “We know with all your help, hard work, dedication & support we can change the Mulcahy family’s life forever.”

If anyone would like to take part as a volunteer or supplier, contact [email protected].

For more stories on Amy Mulcahy, click here.

For more information on DIY SOS Ireland, click here.