Ellen Gannon, age 11, recently received a prestigious Netwatch  award of Munster Young Carer of the Year 2024 from RTE’s Prime Time’s Miriam O’Callaghan and Mick Galwey, Regional Sales Manager of Netwatch Systems and Ireland/Munster Rugby legend.

Ellen is a young carer for her twin brothers Andrew and James, (10), all of whom live with their mother Helen O’Flynn in Newcastle West. Helen is originally from Kilcolman.
Andrew and James were both diagnosed with autism at the age of 2.They are non-verbal and have profound autism and attend a wonderful special school, Nano Nagle, Ballybunion Road, Listowel, Co Kerry. They are collected by bus each day happily travelling the 33 kms and they love their school as it sees to all their needs and generates such joy. Nano Nagle Special School provides education for children age 4 -18/19 with moderate or severe/profound learning disabilities. Many students are also on the autism spectrum.
The school has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where staff have noticeably genuine big smiles, promoting a positive energy, which gives parents confidence that all their child’s needs are being lovingly met.  It’s a place where words can’t transcribe accurately the kindness, compassion and outpouring of love extended to all, and it reflects on everyone who experiences it. The school will get their own specially adapted bus in 2025, which will allow transport for wheelchair users also and the school is always focused on enhancing the facilities to the children. A school extension is happening shortly due to growing demands for placements.
Ellen was recognised at the annual Christmas Mass celebrated in Nano Nagle School.
Ellen attends Kilcolman National School, her mother also attended this school. Ellen loves going to school, which fosters a huge focus on health and wellbeing and developing each child’s capabilities to the fullest extent. The school has many activities outside of the academic focus including School sports, Junior Entre-preneurs programme, Green Schools programme and fun learning through Arts and Craft classes. Ellen plays soccer for Kilcolman Rovers and football for the Old Mill.
Ellen adores her brothers, she helps care for them and brings the brightest bubbly energy daily. She showers them with hugs and kisses and finds positive outlooks on all their interactions and sounds. Love is the theme around Ellen, and she calls them her ‘brothers with superpowers. Ellen also loves her younger cousins, and she is the oldest of her 10 cousins living locally and on hand to mind and help them whenever she can with the newest addition only 1 week old.
There are over 500,000 family carers in Ireland who care for children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illness, mental health challenges or addiction. Family carers contribute a remarkable 19 million hours of unpaid care each week. If the state were to seek to replace this support, it would cost an astonishing €20 billion annually, and events like this bring awareness and influence to government policy and put the focus on how important and valued these carers are to our society as a whole. Family Carers Ireland is a national charity. The mission of Family Carers Ireland is to highlight the contribution of family carers to Irish society and improve the lives of family carers throughout the country. They believe no one should have to care alone and that carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered.