'Amazing' - Tradesmen and other businesses praised for coming to Mullingar family's aid

By Kate Pendred

A group of local tradesmen and other businesses have been hailed as “amazing” for selflessly coming to the aid of a Mullingar family in their hour of need.

It was all systems go at 39, Glenview Heights, Mullingar, on Saturday as the team of local tradesmen moved in to get the house ready for four-year-old Lucy Thompson and her family.

Lucy’s mother Carla, née McManus, reached out to the Silent Volunteers (an off-shoot of the popular DIY SOS television show, The Big Build) for help fitting out and finishing an extension to their home that was part funded by an iDonate fundraising page that raised over €100,000.

The funds raised helped build on a new kitchen, Lucy’s bedroom and washroom, and a storage room for medical supplies, all to HSE specifications. Wheelchair ramps have been provided at the front and rear of the dwelling.

Lucy has a rare genetic disease called Zellweger syndrome, an incurable life-limiting illness that is progressive in nature. She is wheelchair-dependent and a year ago was fitted with a PEG feeding tube.

Lucy, her parents Carla and Kris and her little sister Romy, who is almost a year old, have been staying with Carla’s parents up the road while the work is being done. They hope to be back in by the end of August.

Carla explained that they are looking forward to moving back in as Lucy is getting heavier and having a hoist connecting her bedroom to the wet room will be a huge help. Having a downstairs bedroom and wheelchair accessible doors will mean that Lucy can join her family at mealtimes and other times.

Carla said Lucy is doing well at the moment and hopefully that will continue. She thanked the great community who have helped and supported the family and the Silent Volunteers who have come on board to “get us over the end line”.

Two of the Silent Volunteers, Clare McGoldrick, a community nurse in Dublin, and Ciaran Sheehan from Limerick, were on-site on Saturday to coordinate and help with the work.

When approached by Carla, Clare contacted Stephen McConnell from Mullingar who had worked on DIY SOS projects in the past, and he put out a call for help. “The uptake has been amazing with local tradesmen and suppliers coming on board; I haven’t seen the likes of it anywhere before; I have never seen such goodwill and willingness,” Clare declared.

Stephen McConnell is originally from Grange Village, now living in Oak Crest. When Clare contacted him, he immediately got on to his brothers Daniel and Aaron, Joe Tyrrell, Decki Connolly and Eoin Murray and the word spread. There are a lot of good people around Mullingar,”he remarked.

“We got the call and we had to dig in,” remarked Gary Cleary.

“A lot of people are willing to give time and make the effort to help,” Denis Cleary said. “Everyone has been willing to give a hand and it has made a huge difference, but the real works starts for the Thompsons when we go home,” he added.

Denis is hopeful that the success of this project will encourage other such projects and that “it doesn't stop at this”. He wants to spread the word that helping in this way is truly rewarding.

Denis lives in Killucan but is a native of Green Road, Mullingar and son of Denis and Pauline, née Gibney, from Ginnell Terrace, who now live in Woodlands, Mullingar. He has three sisters and four brothers and his parents, between them, have over 20 siblings. Many members of the extended family have been drafted in to help with projects.

Niall Lynch, a friend of Kris and Carla, is a dairy farmer from Delvin, but was on hand to do a bit of labouring.

Fifteen years ago, Ross Dunne from Woodlands Avenue, Mullingar, joined ND Cleaning, the company set up by his father Noel 27 years ago. He was helping to clear out the garden and make room for the tradesmen last Saturday, but he will be back again when all the work is done to clean up and leave the house ready for the Thompsons.

Ross explained that he has always yearned to do a project like this as he has some knowledge of what it is like to have a family member with an illness.

Pauric Kirby is the grandson of well-known local builder, the late Mick Kirby, and the family have over 100 years' experience in the building trade. He and his team, his wife, Nikki, Derek Fitzpatrick, Derek Kirby, Stephen Clarke and Jamie Keenan have played a significant part in this project. Before this, they worked on a DIY SOS project in Athlone where they fitted a kitchen for a fireman who was injured in the course of his duty.

As work progressed on Saturday, John Cochrane, manager of the Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar, arrived with trays of delicious sandwiches for the workers and promised to be back next weekend with curry dinners. A short time later, boxloads of delicious Apache pizzas were delivered. Becky Heffernan had already been with an array of her scrumptious cupcakes.

These are among several local companies who have offered their services to feed the busy workers. Others include Buckley's Supermarket, O'Brien's Filling Station, and Pita Pit.

Others who are working on the project include Andy, Charlene, Ricki, Jake and Paul Cleary, Paddy Collins, Dominic Donoher, Aaron Gallagher, Eddie O'Donnell, Ross Dunne, Aaron Purcell, Tom Corroon who also sponsored the timber frame for the garden shed, Mike and Paddy Maloney, carpentry and construction, Declan Connolly, Joe Connolly, Niall Heavey, Eileen Murphy, Billy and Keith Thompson (Lucy's grandad and uncle respectively), PJ McManus (Lucy's other grandad), Christy Corroon and his team who have worked on projects in Gambia in the past, Anthony Maloney, Andrew Mitchell, plumber, and David Reynolds, electrician.

Others who have helped include DW Kelly Flooring, DC Flooring, Heavey Tiling, Smyth's of Killucan Homevalue who sponsored all the paints, Graphic Tiles Limited, Total Tiles (Gerry Kiernan), Doras, Seadec, B & G Home, Bellview Pharmacy, Drain Experts, Martin's Quick Pick, Colour Trend Mullingar who sponsored a beautiful mural for Lucy's bedroom, Ross Buckley Transport, James Wallace Agri Contractor, and Kilmurray Hardware.

Work will continue over the coming weeks on what has proved to be one of the biggest community responses ever seen in this quiet estate, the town and the region.