Local woman named as Longford Family Carer of the Year

Family Carers Ireland has announced Erica O’Meara from Ballymahon, as the Longford finalist in the 2026 Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards.

Erica O’Meara, who is well-known in Athlone through her work with the Connaught Street and Environs Community Group, is mum to Kira, 22, Jack, 20, and Kalvin, 12, and has spent years caring for her family through rare diagnoses, serious illness, and devastating loss. Kira has NF1 microdeletion syndrome, while Kalvin has 7q11.23 duplication syndrome as well as autism, ADHD, asthma, and sleep apnoea.

Erica has spent years learning about the very different needs of Kira and Kalvin, advocating for their health and education, and making sure they have the support they need. A qualified sports therapist, she stepped back from her career to care for her family, while also dealing with health challenges of her own.

Erica also cared for her husband Trevor, who had the same rare condition as Kira and later developed a brain tumour. He sadly died four years ago, aged just 44. Through enormous personal grief, she has continued to care for her children and support them through the loss of their dad.

Despite everything her family has been through, Erica continues to give a huge amount to others. She has been involved with Rare Ireland since 2017, supporting other families living with rare conditions, and is also active in her local community. Music remains an important part of her life, and she plays concert flute.

Erica’s family and friends describe her as warm, funny, and generous. She has faced extraordinary loss and caring responsibilities within her own family, yet remains someone others can turn to, always ready to listen, help and make sure those around her do not feel alone.

The annual awards celebrate the remarkable contribution of Ireland’s family carers, recognising the love, commitment and dedication of those who provide essential care and support to loved ones, often with little acknowledgement.

Angela Locke-Reilly, Carer Support Manager for Longford said: “Every nomination for these awards gives us a glimpse into lives that most people never see. The nominations are filled with stories of love, determination, humour, difficult days and small victories, and above all, the difference family carers make to the lives of their loved ones right across the country.

“These awards give us the opportunity to bring those stories into the spotlight and recognise the remarkable people behind them. But recognition must come with real support. Our research shows that three in four family carers have never had a break, a similar number are struggling financially, and almost half feel severely lonely. They deserve so much more.”

Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: "At Lidl Ireland, with stores and teams rooted in communities nationwide, we see the importance of supporting the people and families with caring needs who can often be overlooked or unsupported. Our partnership with Family Carers Ireland reflects our commitment to supporting carers across every community, giving us an opportunity to recognise the vital contribution of family carers and help bring greater understanding to the realities of caring. We are delighted to congratulate Erica O’Meara on being named Longford Lidl Family Carer of the Year."