A woman who cares for her seriously ill daughter, and a 13-year old girl who helps to look after her injured mother have been named carers of the year.
At an event in Dublin this afternoon Anne McGrath from Thurles, Co Tipperary, won the overall Carer of the Year award for her work in looking after her daughter Tamara (10) who has Canavans disease, a rare and fatal genetic condition that leaves children severely mentally and physically incapacitated.
Ms McGrath, who has lost two other children to the disease - David (1) and Tamara's twin brother Mark (6) - said Tamara was "the light of her life" and "a lovely placid girl". Ms McGrath has three other children.
She said caring for Tamara is a day long duty, beginning at 7am, but that she simply "has to get on with it".
"When I lost David I was devastated and thought it would never happen again," she said. "When we lost Mark I wanted to lock myself away but when I miss him hug Tamara, she's part of him as a twin, and a very special little girl."
Kelley Farrell (13) from Daingean, Co Offaly, was nominated for the young carer award by her father Sean to pay tribute to how the first-year student takes care of her mother Nuala.
Ms Farrell suffers from serious back problems for the last four years and has failed to recover despite undergoing a series of operations.
Kelley said her average day begins at 7am when she makes breakfast and helps her mum before for school. She then makes lunch and helps with the cleaning when she returns.
"I'm not exhausted, I'm used to it," Kelley said. "I love doing it for somebody who I care about and love."
Joan Baldwin from Newbridge, Co Kildare, won the Leinster award for caring for her daughters Patricia and Linda, who have cerebral palsy and epilepsy respectively, her son William who is autistic and her husband, also named William, who is blind.
"I look after them day and night," Ms Baldwin said. "I have no choice. It's constant."
Carolyn Akintola, from Tallaght, won the Dublin award for the help she provides mother, Elsie, who has osteoporosis, arthritis and Parkinsons disease and receives dialysis three times a week for end stage kidney failure.
Carolyn, who could not attend the event today as she is undergoing a knee operation, is wheelchair bound and suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
"She's the best in the world to me," Elsie said of her daughter. "She never complains."
Niamh Simon from Boyle, Co Roscommon, won the Connacht/Ulster award, for the care she provides her son Tommy (4), who suffered a series of health problems after being born prematurely.
Ms Simon said caring for Tommy was a 24-hour job but that the love he gives her is unbelievable.
"He's a very placid little fellow but he's always aware of what's going on," she said. "He' s a little rogue."
