Dr Tony Holohan shares stories from growing up in Limerick city

THEY say “you never forget your roots,” a statement which rings true for Dr Tony Holohan as he recounts growing up in Limerick, in his new memoir.

In a candid conversation with the Leader, the former chief medical officer (CMO) explained that he spent his early years in Dublin, before relocating to Castletroy, and later, Annacotty.

His mother, Brigid Ryan, hailed from Cappamore, and his father Liam, a former garda, moved the family to the Treaty to be nearer to Brigid’s parents as they got older, taking a posting at Henry Street garda station.

Having started at Monaleen NS, a young Tony Holohan then moved to the CBS on Sexton Street. “I was very clear that I was a city kid,” reads an excerpt of his book.

He affirms the familial ties which bind him to the city through his sister Breda who resides in Raheen, and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, in particular, Mandy Bell, a published poet, and Chris Lynch, a schoolmate.

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True to his Limerick roots, he remains a steadfast supporter of John Kiely and the hurlers. Recognising their recent successes, he affirms that the Treatymen still reign supreme. That being said, he proudly wears his Dublin heritage as he supports both of his home teams in GAA.

Fondly, he also remembers the times when his late wife, Emer, would visit the city with him during university breaks.

Emer would board the train straight to the bustling Holohan household, and with five younger sisters in the home, their days were often filled with liveliness and laughter.

Their former local, The Black Swan in Annacotty, holds memories of days gone by, as does the “pint or three” that they shared at The Hurlers in Castletroy.

In his memoir, Dr Holohan shares his journey of being the former CMO, navigating the time of swine flu, the cervical cancer scandal, and then Covid-19, while simultaneously, supporting his two children, and Emer, his wife of 25 years, as she battled a cancer diagnosis.

We Need To Talk by Dr Tony Holohan is available in bookshops now.