Miraculous journey back to school for Limerick student

AFTER young Holly McGrath was knocked down by a car in Pallasgreen a year ago her family were told by doctors “you have to expect the worst in these cases”.

But here she is returning to school this Friday and she “can’t wait” said proud mum, Mary Ita.

“She’s amazing, she’s doing amazing,” said Mary Ita, who lives in Nicker with husband Willie and they have two more children Katie, aged 6, and Luke, 4. 

Mary Ita was coming home from work when she got the phone call that every parent dreads –  her 13-year-old daughter had been rushed to hospital. Holly had just started secondary school in Scoil na Trionoide Naofa in Doon earlier that day.

“When she got hit, she broke her collar bone and she broke a lot of ribs. She had really bad swelling from when she hit the back of her head. She had a bleed,” said Mary Ita.

Holly was placed in a medically induced coma. Mary Ita and Willie were told “to expect the worst in these cases” and staff in Temple Street told them it’s a “roller coaster”.

“They’re two words I heard a lot. It’s one step forward and two steps back when you’re in ICU and it was. She got so many infections, meningitis, but then once we kind of got her down to the ward, she kind of just bounced back. She started coming out of it and started learning to walk and talk and everything again. She's a tough cookie. I never thought I'd see the day that she'd be going back to school,” said Mary Ita, who got to know the Lawless family and Daithi, (who features on page 3), in the hospital

In total, Holly was in a coma for eight weeks. She recognised Mary Ita when she came out of the coma

“My nephew Dean was brilliant at the time, he got Kyle Hayes and Aaron Gillane to send videos because she is hurling mad. We were showing her and she said ‘Limerick Abu'. That’s the one thing I'll always remember with her, it was lovely,” said Mary Ita.

Holly came home to Nicker on December 17 just in time for Christmas. Luckily her uncle Johnny is a nurse so he was a great help as Holly adjusted to life out of hospital. Physiotheraphy through the HSE was a big help, as were her friends Lily and Stacey calling and taking her for walks. 

The last 12 weeks have been spent in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire

“What they have done for her here is unbelievable. We are leaving here next Thursday and she's straight in to school on Friday morning. She can’t wait. Her teacher, Orla Treacy, was doing lessons by Zoom and it really helped her,” said Mary Ita, who spoke to the Leader to share the good news and thank everybody who has helped and supported them through this terrible time.

The McGraths wish to thank everybody who donated to a Go Fund Me page which helped with the countless expenses; family, friends, neighbours, all in Nicker, the parish of Pallasgreen and neighbouring Doon, Oola and all of east Limerick for their support; Nicker NS and Scoil na Trionoide Naofa; doctors and nurses in Temple Street and the National Rehabilitation Hospital; Mary Ita’s work colleagues in Teleflex Medical in Annacotty, and J&F Building & Civil Engineering where Willie works.

“Everybody has been unbelievable,” said Mary Ita. Holly’s great grandfather Bill Gammell, who was one of the elder statesmen of the parish before passing away, was so proud of her.

And proud to welcome Holly back to Scoil na Trionoide Naofa in Doon this Friday is principal, Eilis Casey. “We are delighted that Holly is returning to school next week. Our resource teachers were working with Holly last term in an online capacity helping her and supporting her for her return this week and preparing her for the year ahead.  

“No doubt she is excited to start secondary school, meet old friends and make new ones as well as get to know her teachers and try out lots of new subjects. Holly is a very resilient girl with immense potential and ability. 

“We look forward to welcoming Holly and all our first years as they begin this part of their learning journey,” said Ms Casey.

Mary Ita says Holly wants to go back playing football in Pallas and go cycling as they are “her two favourite things to do”.

With the resilience she has shown so far hopefully it’s only a matter of time.