Limerick Leader team share more of their stories of the year
Healing through your art
SOMETIMES a story is your favourite because of its purpose, and not its topic.
In March, I wrote a feature based on Limerick influencer, Lucy Fitzgibbon, or Lucy Fitz as she is known. Lucy had left Askeaton and moved to Barcelona, leaving the influencer life behind her, and taking on a new passion - tattooing.
Having decided to share her tattoos with her Irish fans, she set up in Beauty HQ on Little Ellen Street with her tattoo gun, book of stencils and bubbly personality. I spoke with her as she tattooed me, and discussed her life since opting for Spain.
While there, the Limerick girl met a boy, found an apartment, adopted a dog and fell pregnant. That was until her little baby, Lola, miscarried at 20 weeks, and after 31 hours on the labour ward in Barcelona, Lucy gave birth to her unborn baby.
Suddenly her world turned upside down: “My whole entire life until I died I was going to have a daughter, and then it was just gone and taken from me.”
After going through something so traumatic, Lucy now channels every ounce of grief and sadness into her new passion and continues to serve her Lola through her creations.
This is a special story to me, because it is one which so many people can relate to. At the time, Lucy shared some advice to any parent experiencing a similar situation, which I think rings true. She said: “Don’t feel like you should be ‘getting over it’ faster. You should always have a space to grieve your unborn child.”
Now a dear friend of mine today, I will remember Lucy and her story through the polished rose on my left arm - a symbol of new chapters.
Get me to the match: Planes, trains and automobiles
TAKE a lap of honour lads!
Nothing illustrates the extreme lengths Limerick sporting fans will go through to support their teams than the numerous stories the Limerick Leader highlighted over the past 12 months.
Mine isn’t so much a favourite story of the year, but favourite stories of the year.
From the URC Final to the All-Ireland, from the Rugby World Cup to a Junior C final, Limerick fans must be the best in the world.
In May, the Leader highlighted some of the costly packages, some as much as €2,000 per person, being snapped up by rugby fans to make the trip out to South Africa to support Munster in the URC Final.
Personally, I was at a wedding as the URC Final was kicking off and the news of every point was spread around the tables like answers from school exams. A massive cheer went up as the final whistle was blown in Cape Town and half the room hadn't a clue what was happening.
Then in July, Limerick fans really shined, as all kinds of efforts were made to make it to Croke Park for an historic four-in-a-row.
There were fans coming from all corners of the world for the big match and those who couldn't make it tuned in however they could out in the likes of Dubai, Vancouver and Perth.
Those lucky enough to get All-Ireland tickets then face the huge task of making it to Croker on time.
One of the funniest now, but I say at the time people were raging, was a bus of Limerick supporters who happened to book a driver who maybe wasn’t familiar with the way and ended up in some random housing estate in Kildare. The bus got stuck trying to turn around and an out effort was performed to get everyone on the right road again.
It is supporters like these from Hammy and his singing teddy bear to Sr Patricia in Kilfinane that make Limerick fans the best in the world in a year which will certainly go down as one Limerick's greatest sporting calendar ever.
Charles Prashaw - Community notes and layout
Sporting dream kept alive
HAVING only started with the Limerick Leader in June 2023, I have been fortunate to write about some incredible people in the sporting world, but Liam Patterson's story stands out from the rest.
This man has gone from not being able to leave the bed to being able to play on the Irish transplant soccer team, just showing his determination to get back to normal.
Liam, who is originally from west Cork and is now living in Raheen, had been suffering with serious illness for the last number of years.
He was able to manage his sickness for a long-time and was a dedicated member of Mungret GAA, coaching several teams until his health deteriorated in April 2022. His diagnosis was to have a liver transplant and luckily he was successfully chosen for one late last year.
The transplant was a success and since then he has been able to get his life back on track while also playing on the Irish transplant soccer team.
Liam stated himself “I have met so many people through this team, people that have been sick for most of their lives. It has given me so much perspective for me to get up and to keep going.”
This quote has stayed with me since my interview with Liam and his story has shown me the importance of perseverance and the strength to keep going no matter the issue. Stories like his demonstrate the importance of my job.
Hospital records ‘littered’
MY FAVOURITE story of the year is a story that quite literally landed on my kitchen table!
I joined the Limerick Leader a little over six months ago and as any young aspiring journalist the chance to see your name on the front page is one to dream of.
I had just moved into my new house and was sitting around the kitchen table having a cup of tea with my landlady and her friend.
Her friend who had just recently been discharged from hospital told us the story.
Harmless…or so she thought.
When she found out I was a journalist her mouth hit the floor and I have never seen anyone go the colour of a sheet quicker.
She decided it was fate and to be quite honest so did I and she wanted to go forward with the story.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get a front page so soon nor did I ever imagine a page lead.
A total of 29 patient records were found ‘scrunched up’ on a footpath near University Hospital Limerick on a Friday afternoon, November 10.
Even writing those words is still shocking and that is why it needed to be heard.
When the story was published many came forward to say similar scenarios happened to them and I am so grateful I chased and pushed with the guidance of my editors to get this story heard.
My first front page article looks at me everyday as it sits framed in my new bedroom and it reminds me of all the stories I might just uncover in these new walls.
Limerick to win the battle for remains of Sarsfield
HISTORICAL battles and long-dead heroes of Limerick aren’t what you normally report on in the news.
This year was an exciting one however for history buffs around Limerick, Ireland and Europe too, as the search for the remains of an Irish hero gathered serious momentum.
The remains of Patrick Sarsfield, who led the Siege of Limerick against English forces in 1691, were potentially located in Huy in Belgium, where he died fighting for the French Army in 1693.
The potential burial site was discovered by Dr Loïc Guyon, Honorary Consul of France in Limerick and founder of The Sarsfield Homecoming Project, after two years of research.
It was also confirmed by Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) in October that Sarsfield’s remains would be repatriated to Limerick by Huy City Council, if they are found on the site of a former church in the Belgian city.
According to Dr Pat Daly, CEO of Limerick City and County Council, there exists a long friendship between the two city councils.
“Huy have agreed that if the body is found, LCCC will be the legal guardians and custodians.”
His sentiments were echoed by Huy City Council heritage director Stéphanie Ratz, who confirmed that Sarsfield’s remains would return to Limerick, despite a motion by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) asking that “if [Sarsfields] remains are repatriated to Ireland, it should be to Lucan,” owing to his title of Earl of Lucan.
Ms Ratz stated that Huy Council had not been contacted by SDCC ever about the matter of Sarsfield.
“The relationship has always been between Huy and Limerick,” she said.
An archeological dig of the potential site is currently underway.
Ellen Gough - Reporter
Life in a two-man tent
ON A COLD and wet morning in November, I met Rosearee Reid, a kind-hearted woman from Northern Ireland, who has been living, homeless, in a tent on the outskirts of Limerick.
Rosearee, 30, has been homeless in Limerick since July. Her story moved me as soon as I heard it, and I aimed to get out to see her.
With concrete walls on one side and a river on the other, it was difficult to find Rosearee and her partner in their two man tent.
It would take two attempts to locate the couple.
I eventually found the right location the day after Storm Debi, a red-warning weather event that had hit Limerick, had left its wrath on the area. The grass was flooded, the leaves on the tree torn down and the wind seemed to cut right through the area.
Yet Rosearee was welcoming - and she had a story to tell.
This piece allowed me to tackle one of our county’s most troubling issues, homelessness, while also providing an insight into the life of Rosearee, a kind and caring woman who would share anything she has with her partner.
Rosearee drove home an important message - homelessness can happen to anyone. The stigma and perceived notions we have around homelessness need to be challenged, and Rosearee was just the voice to do that.
Remembering Bruna
THROUGHOUT my time working for the Limerick Leader, I have met a fair share of inspirational people. But one story has stayed with me and it's one I wish I never had to write - Bruna's story.
I met Bruna Cristine Cacciaguerra in March 2023. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and wanted to encourage women to get checked, so we sat down in her home in west Limerick to talk about her prognosis.
As soon as Bruna opened the door, it became apparent that she was 'sunshine in human form'. Wearing a T-shirt stating ‘F*ck cancer’ in bold letters, she invited me into her home.
Despite the pain she was going through, the biggest smile was on her face. She talked of the scans she got done, the chemotherapy she went through, being in palliative care, her children, and the big hike she wanted to do over the summer.
“I think every woman should do the checks early. Breast cancer can't be avoided, but it can be discovered at the beginning and be treated,” she told me.
Originally from Brazil, Bruna moved to Ireland and settled in Ashford, with her three children.
As the interview came to an end, she insisted on walking me back to the door. She said 'There is a saying in Brazil. If you walk people back to the door, they come back to visit.”
She never got to go on that hike.
Manon Gilbart - Reporter