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Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle

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Please support The Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle

Please support The Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle

By ilovelimerick correspondent Frances Watkins

Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle

Richard pictured in 2013 with Sophie and her dad Liam, brother Dion and sister Kayla. Picture: Caleb Purcell/ilovelimerick.

The Third Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle will be taking place on Saturday 15th October as part of the Limerick’s Live 95fm 95 Stop Tour for Limerick Kids. The cycle will depart Deebert House Hotel, Killmallock at 9:45 am with a €20 entry fee.


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The Second Annual Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycle which took place last year helped raise over €3,000 for St Gabriel’s School Projects.The €3,000 raised on the day will go towards a five-bedroom respite centre. 

Current projects St. Gabriel’s School & Centre are undertaking include the building of a Resource and Respite House that would provide a short-term residential break for families where their child is cared for. 

St.Gabriel’s School & Centre provides education and a range of essential health-related therapies and interventions for up to 400 children and young adults living with multiple physical disabilities, sensory and/or developmental delay or more serious life-limiting conditions.

Speaking to ilovelimerick, Sophie’s Journey Foundation founder, Liam Mulcahy spoke of the importance of increased respite care in Limerick, “I know there are already a few services coming together, but I feel Limerick is missing something. As a parent that had a child with a disability; respite and time to spend with other kids are immensely valuable. It is not easy, any parent will tell you having a child with a disability or who is really sick.”

The foundation was set up in memory of Sophie Mulchay who was born on July 12, 2006 in the Coombe Maternity Hospital and was immediately transferred to Our Lady’s Children’s where she would have an amazing 6 heart operations in 7 months.

Sophie spent the majority of her stay in Cardiac ICU 2 ventilated fighting battle after battle. Sophie was diagnosed with a rare condition called Ohdo syndrome but on a re-diagnoses in Manchester in 2012, it was founded Sophie had a rare condition called 1Q43. This condition, along with her 7 months in Crumlin left Sophie unable to walk, talk or feed herself.

Sophie passed away at age eight in 2014.

Throughout her short few years, Sophie inspired so many people to achieve the impossible and she was at the centre of many events that brought people together. Anyone who knew her well; was touched by her.

Liam and Stacey, Sophie’s parents, started fundraising in 2007 to thank the organizations who saved her life and helped raise huge funds that went to families to help with the children’s needs. Sophie’s family now give a 100 percent commitment to Sophie’s Journey Foundation in memory of Sophie’s Legacy and to help improve the conditions that families with children with life-limiting illness endure on a daily basis.

To visit the Sophies Journey Foundation website go  here

For more stories on Sophie’s Journey Foundation click here

For stories on previous Sophie Mulcahy Memorial Cycles click here

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.