Kathleen is named as Mayo Carer of the Year

Family Carers Ireland has announced Catherine Ann 'Kathleen' Gallagher from Achill Island as the Mayo finalist in the 2026 Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards.

Kathleen has spent much of her life caring for the people closest to her through serious illness, disability, and profound loss. As a young mother, she cared for her father-in-law when he had bowel cancer and later became a full-time carer for her daughter Catherine, who was born in 1997 with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and complex physical disabilities.

Catherine has undergone more than 50 surgeries, with Kathleen beside her through years of treatment and recovery. Kathleen supported her through school and later moved from Achill to Lucan so Catherine could study journalism at DCU. Catherine is now pursuing a PhD, something her family says would not have been possible without her mother’s support.

Kathleen and her family have also lived through heartbreaking loss, including the deaths of baby Michael Gerard and their daughter Ashling. Then, in 2023, Kathleen’s husband Tommy was struck by a car and sustained catastrophic injuries. After spending more than 500 days in hospital, he finally returned home as a wheelchair user requiring considerable help with everyday life.

Kathleen is now Tommy’s main carer, providing most of his day-to-day support without residential or respite care, while continuing to be there for Catherine. Having spent decades caring for the people she loves, Kathleen has repeatedly had to adapt as life has changed around her. Through everything, she has remained the person her family can depend on.

The annual awards celebrate the remarkable contribution of Ireland’s family carers, recognising the love, commitment and dedication of those who provide essential care and support to loved ones, often with little acknowledgement.

Michelle Moriarty, Support Manager for Mayo, said: “Every nomination for these awards gives us a glimpse into lives that most people never see. The nominations are filled with stories of love, determination, humour, difficult days and small victories, and above all, the difference family carers make to the lives of their loved ones right across the country.

“These awards give us the opportunity to bring those stories into the spotlight and recognise the remarkable people behind them. But recognition must come with real support. Our research shows that three in four family carers have never had a break, a similar number are struggling financially, and almost half feel severely lonely. They deserve so much more.” 

Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: "At Lidl Ireland, with stores and teams rooted in communities nationwide, we see the importance of supporting the people and families with caring needs who can often be overlooked or unsupported. Our partnership with Family Carers Ireland reflects our commitment to supporting carers across every community, giving us an opportunity to recognise the vital contribution of family carers and help bring greater understanding to the realities of caring. We are delighted to congratulate Kathleen on being named Mayo Lidl Family Carer of the Year."