Holohan unearths his strong county Limerick roots

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.

During his formative years, he formed a special bond with his grandmother, Ellen, affectionately known as Babe. As he fondly recalled, the Cappamore woman may have spoiled him a bit, but their closeness left a lasting impact on young Tony.

His grandfather, Thomas Ryan, was nicknamed Luke, as was the tradition among the Ryans in the region. Hardworking dairy farmers, Tony’s connection to the farm and his grandparents’ home was a significant part of his childhood.

As his family would visit the farm every week, Tony found that many of his weekends and school holidays were spent there for several years.

It was during this time that he received his first racing bike as a confirmation present from his parents. The thrill of cycling independently to the farm, covering approximately 10 miles each way, was a source of great excitement and newfound freedom for him.

Tony’s attachment to the Cappamore farm deepened during those pre-teen years when he would spend entire summers there.

His grandparents lived in a large, old house that had been divided in the typical Irish fashion once the eldest son, Tony’s uncle Paddy, got married.

Paddy took over the responsibilities of running the farm, with Tony by his side, eager to help. One of the most cherished events for young Tony was the annual agricultural expo, the ever-popular Cappamore Show.

His uncle Paddy served as the committee secretary for an astonishing sixty-three years, making it a cornerstone of their family’s tradition.

Tony eagerly assisted his uncle in organising and managing the event.

Behind the house, Tony recalls a specially commissioned caravan that served as the headquarters for all the show’s logistics.

His involvement in the Cappamore Show allowed him to gain an in-depth understanding of the various competitions it featured. From show animals to art, baking, sewing, and show jumping, he helped his uncle coordinate it all.

This dedication saw the youngster fine-tune his attention to detail, finding out which competitions were under-subscribed, and doing his level best to achieve a win in one of these categories, even if that did mean arranging wild fruits in an aesthetically pleasing way.

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The preparation for the show extended throughout the entire summer, but it wasn’t always glamorous work, and some aspects were, admittedly, tedious.

Mornings were dedicated to milking the cows and the rest of the day consumed by show administration and fierce organisation.

However, Tony’s dedication to the Cappamore Show demonstrated his early commitment to community and the importance of hard work—a theme that would continue to define his life and career.

In those youthful days spent on the farm, Tony cultivated values of diligence, community involvement, and a deep appreciation for his agricultural heritage, all of which would play a significant role in shaping his future, both at work and personally.

Despite the connection he had with his family’s farm and the rural community, the young man’s perspective began to shift during his teenage years.

As he immersed himself in city life, attending the CBS in Sexton Street and residing in Annacotty, he increasingly identified as a “city kid” as the years progressed.

The allure of urban living, the camaraderie of school friends, and the accessibility of city amenities began to take precedence in his life.

It was a typical phase for any teenager, as his interests evolved, and he started to envision moving on from Limerick, looking ahead to new horizons.

Spreading his wings, he took to studying medicine in UCD, where he met his late wife, Emer, and before long, brought her home to the Treaty to relive memories.

In his all-encompassing memoir, Dr Holohan shares stories of his youth in Limerick, as well as 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 to buy now.