Hit RTÉ show presents Limerick family with newly renovated home

A LIMERICK family's house has finally become a home, thanks to a huge community effort driven by RTÉ's DIY SOS: The Big Build. 

Over the past nine days, countless tradespeople volunteered their time and tools to renovate the home of 13-year-old Amy Mulcahy, who was involved in an accident this time last year which left her dependent on the use of a wheelchair. 

This Thursday afternoon, hundreds of locals, family, and friends gathered outside the Mulcahy home in Glenside, Annacotty for the grand reveal. 

Presenter Baz Ashmawy spoke to the crowd, thanking them for their support and hard work - as did Amy and her mum Sharon. 

I'm here in Glenside, Newtown where @bazashmawy has just presented the Mulcahy family with their newly renovated home on @DIYSOSIRELAND. @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/RiMPCGMtxi

— Rebecca Laffan (@becca_laffan) February 20, 2020

The Mulcahy's are the second family to feature on the formerly UK-based show, which is set to be aired later in the year.

In February 2019, Amy was involved in an accident with her local rowing club, when her boat overturned suddenly and she became trapped underwater for several minutes.

While Amy had been resuscitated, she had suffered cardiac arrest, had severe brain damage and her family were given little hope of her recovery.

Doctors informed the family that Amy would never see, speak or walk again.

Though devastated, Amy’s mother Sharon knew in her heart that her little girl would prove them all wrong – and she did.

Nine months after the incident, Amy had regained her sight and her speech. She is determined to walk, though she lost some use of her limbs from the waist down and now uses a wheelchair.

The teenager returned to her Limerick home in November after undergoing rehabilitation treatment in Temple Street and National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Though delighted to be home, the house which Amy shares with her mother, older brother Calum and his toddler twins was simply not suitable for any of Amy’s needs.

As she can’t access the upstairs of the house, the family sitting room became Amy’s bedroom, and she was without ready access to a bathroom.

Amy’s parents and all the family desperately want Amy to have the space to live with dignity at home and try to continue her rehabilitation, but felt the house was making that impossible and further disabling her.

The family’s hopes were for a small extension to the back of the house to try and give Amy some dignity with a downstairs bedroom and wet room – and of course an accessible space where she can also have her privacy when needed.