Grandparent of the Year

Our 2011 Grandparent of the Year is Liz Farrell. Here is her story:

Liz is grandmother to 14 children ranging in age from infants to 21-years-old. Not only does Liz work full-time, she also devotes all of her spare time to caring for and spending time with all of her grandchildren; some of whom she regularly travels long distances to visit. According to one of her daughters, Liz “knows every child’s favourite food, toy, television programme and almost everything else.”

Liz plays an important role in all of her grandchildren’s lives (and that’s no mean feat when there are 14 of them), whether it is sitting by their hospital bedside during illness, playing Scrabble, providing fashion advice or offering support during those difficult teenage years. Her eldest granddaughter, Sarah (21), says: “She is the greatest Granny I could ever wish for,” adding that they are so close that they spend a lot of their time together trying out make-up. Sarah even seeks her granny’s opinion on what to wear!

Angela Duffy, Grandparent of the Year Liz Farrell and Mary Byrne of Canavan Byrne

However, it’s not just the time and energy that Liz makes for her grandchildren which makes her stand out, it’s the special thought and dedication she provides to make their lives that little bit brighter. You won’t find many grannies who stay up until 2am the night before a 21^st putting a collage of treasured photos together, but that’s exactly what Liz did for Sarah’s 21st birthday party – a gesture that her granddaughter was overwhelmed by. Angela says, “If I have half the energy and love to give that she has, then I am a truly lucky lady and my husband and son will never go without,” says Angela.