Young girl injured in Parnell Square stabbing 'excited' to go back to school

The young girl injured in a stabbing incident in Dublin's Parnell Square two years ago was "excited to see her friends" after finally getting back to school two years later, her family has said.

The child, who was five at the time, was critically injured in the incident on November 23, 2023. She spent most of a year at Temple Street Children’s Hospital before being released from medical care at the end of last year.

Although she had been well enough to return to classroom-based learning, she was "not attending mainstream school”. Now, the young girl has started back at school full-time. 

"This is the first time in two years that she has a first day at school. She was so excited to see her friends that she woke up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!" said her mother on a fundraiser page.

She added that although this was a happy moment, the "event from the weekend" in Dublin's city centre "dampened my joy".

This comes as a man, aged in his 40s, was left with serious injuries following an assault in Dublin 2 at approximately 6.30am on Westmoreland Street. He was brought to St James’s Hospital, where he remains there in a serious condition.

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"I come from a country where pensioners are robbed at gunpoint while getting their money, children do not usually walk in town before the age of 15, and martial law has to be put into place in certain areas. 

"I just feel that intolerance is very quickly turning into violence. Violence that has serious consequences," the mother said.

Despite what happened to her family she said "I still believe in Ireland".

I still believe in the overall kindness of people here, in the pleasantries towards your fellow citizens.

"We know how much violence can cause hurt. We live it, our daughter more so than anyone. And yet, she smiles and laughs every day.

"I come here as a mother and as a woman who lives in Dublin, who loves it. Don't let the pain of the world turn this beautiful place into yet another news article," she said.