Real heroes at carer awards

TIPPERARY woman Anne McGrath was named the national Carer of the Year in a ceremony that blew away the gloom of recession, at least for a while.

Anne, from Fethard Street, Mullinahone, Co Tipperary, had already won the Munster title when she was presented with the national award for caring for her 10-year-old daughter Tamara, who has a very rare neurological disorder called Canavan Disease, which has left her severely mentally and physically incapacitated.

Anne and her husband James had already lost Tamara’s twin brother, Mark, to the same condition three years ago and another son, David, also to Canavan disease, in 1989. They have three other children.