‘We saw Faolan through the window but it was great to finally meet him properly’

Little Faolán Gallagher of Drumconrath became one of the most famous babies in the world last March, when a picture of his grandad, Michael Gallagher looking at him through a window went viral around the world.

The poignant picture became a symbol of the lockdown measures implemented around the world.

Covid-19 restrictions meant Cllr Michael Gallagher's first view of his newborn grandson could only be through a window – and it was 14 weeks before he got to hold his very first grandchild.

It was an emotional time for the family when they finally got to meet properly recently and the poignancy of their situation led the family to lend their support to have a one-off extension to maternity leave.

“It was emotional. These are strange times. We saw him though the window and he was doing well but it was great to finally meet him properly. He was great, he didn't make strange and was in good form,” said the proud Grandad.

The campaign for the extension of maternity leave points out that women who were on maternity leave during lockdown did not have access to the usual supports including Mother and Baby Groups, missed developmental checks and hospital appointments, all services that would have been fully accessible under usual circumstances.

Little Faolan attended the Dáil last week with his grandad, his Mum, Emma and his grandmother, Mary Dillon where they met Deputy Darren O'Rourke, who described Faolán as “a perfect example of the challenges new parents had to content with during this period.”

Littler Faolán – son to Emma and Micheál Gallachoir - was born in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in March and for 14 weeks Michael and his wife Sheila, and Emma's mother, Mary had only been able to see the baby through the window of Micheál and Emma's home.

Faolán's parents were told at the hospital to boil wash everything we had been wearing in the hospital and to isolate.

They could not have people holding him and the only other person allowed in the house is the public health nurse.

This week it was announced that parents of children born during the pandemic crisis will get an extra three weeks of parent’s leave to offset the impact of having a child during the harshest lockdown measures, under Government proposals approved by the Cabinet on Monday.

The move was announced by Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman on Monday evening at a post-Cabinet briefing in response to a Sinn Féin private members’ Bill on maternity leave.

The memo supporting the policy was brought to cabinet by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, with supporting work coming from the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.

Michael Gallagher, a Sinn Fein member of Meath Co Council, had backed the campaign for the extension of maternity leave.

“Many of the mothers on maternity leave during the restrictions could never leave the house and had no back up, it is only right that it should be extended.”