Family Carers Ireland Invites Limerick Community to Step Up for Family Carers
Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting over 500,000 family carers across the country, is calling on the Limerick community to take part in its "Step Up for Family Carers" event at Mungret Park on Sunday 26 April — a 5km walk, jog, or run designed to raise funds and public awareness for the crucial and often invisible work carried out by family carers, who provide an estimated €20 billion in unpaid care annually.
Background
Family Carers Ireland (FCI) is the national charity dedicated to supporting the estimated 500,000 family carers in Ireland — individuals who provide unpaid care to a family member or friend with a disability, chronic illness, mental health difficulty, or age-related condition. Family carers are the backbone of Ireland's care system, providing support that would otherwise fall to the state at enormous cost. Yet despite the scale and value of their contribution, family carers frequently report feeling isolated, unsupported, and overlooked by both policymakers and the wider public.
The physical, emotional, and financial challenges faced by family carers are well documented. Many carers reduce their working hours or leave employment entirely to provide care, with significant long-term consequences for their financial security and pension entitlements. The demands of caring can also take a serious toll on carers' own health and wellbeing, with high rates of stress, anxiety, and depression reported among the carer population. FCI's network of local offices, support groups, and services is designed to address these challenges — but the organisation relies heavily on fundraising and public support to sustain its work.
Key Developments
The "Step Up for Family Carers" event at Mungret Park in Limerick on Sunday 26 April is part of FCI's national challenge, which encourages participants to walk, jog, or run a 5km course to raise funds and awareness. Danielle Londra, a family carer from Limerick, has spoken about the often-unseen nature of the work and the importance of community support in sustaining carers through what can be an exhausting and isolating experience. As the Limerick Post reported, the event has attracted strong interest from the local community.
FCI maintains a dedicated office in Limerick at George's Quay, offering a wide array of services including a National Freephone Careline (1800 240724) for information and emotional support, peer-led support groups to combat isolation, education and training programmes on topics including self-care, first aid, dementia care, and navigating entitlements, and home care and respite services to provide essential breaks for carers. In a recent initiative, FCI launched a specific support group for family carers of children in Limerick, created to address the unique needs of parents caring for children with additional needs who may not always identify as "carers" and can lack traditional support networks. As I Love Limerick reported, the group aims to provide peer support, workshops, and information to empower these parents.
Why It Matters
The "Step Up for Family Carers" event is more than a fundraiser — it is an opportunity for the Limerick community to acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary contribution made by family carers in their midst. The €20 billion in unpaid care provided annually by family carers in Ireland represents a contribution to the national economy and social fabric that is rarely recognised in the way it deserves. Without family carers, Ireland's health and social care system would face an impossible burden. Events like this one play a vital role in raising public awareness of the challenges carers face and in generating the funds that allow FCI to continue providing the support services that make such a difference to carers' lives.
Local Impact
For Limerick and the wider Munster region, Family Carers Ireland's presence and the "Step Up" event represent a tangible expression of community solidarity with those who give so much of themselves to care for others. The city has a strong tradition of community activism and voluntary service, and the response to the event reflects that tradition. The launch of a dedicated support group for parents of children with additional needs is particularly significant, addressing a gap in provision that has long been identified by carers in the region. For those who are currently caring for a family member and feeling the strain, FCI's Limerick office and its range of services offer a lifeline — and the "Step Up" event is a reminder that the wider community stands with them.
What's Next
The "Step Up for Family Carers" event takes place at Mungret Park, Limerick, on Sunday 26 April. Registration is available through Family Carers Ireland's website and local office. Those unable to participate in person can support the event through online fundraising. FCI's National Freephone Careline (1800 240724) is available to any family carer in need of information, advice, or emotional support. The organisation continues to advocate at national level for improved recognition, financial support, and respite services for family carers across Ireland.
