Munster fan, nine, hopes to walk for first time after pioneering surgery

A LIMERICK boy who was the Munster rugby mascot for the recent big Heineken Cup game at Thomond Park, returns home from Spain today after surgery which may help him walk for the first time in his life.

Darragh Ryan, nine, who was born with cerebral palsy, underwent pioneering surgery at a clinic in Barcelona last Wednesday.

His father Sean said: “Darragh was in a wheelchair when he went out onto Thomond Park with Paul O’Connell for the game against Bourgoin. His ambition is to be able to walk onto Thomond Park some day in the not too distant future.”

Darragh will have to wear a special plaster for some time, to help straighten his legs and help sinews redevelop which were “unknotted” during surgery.

On learning he was a keen Munster rugby fan, the hospital medical team painted the plaster red.

Munster rugby fans and a number of groups in Limerick helped raise the €15,000 it cost to send Darragh to Barcelona for the surgery.

Eamonn Dillon, spokesman for the fundraisers, said: “We raised more than €15,000 and the excess money will be given to St Gabriel’s special school in Dooradoyle where Darragh is a pupil to go towards the new hydrotherapy unit being built there.”

The staff at St Gabriel’s will give Darragh special psychotherapy prescribed by the Barcelona clinic.