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Our Family Stories
Over the years, countless families have walked through the doors of Hugh’s House, each carrying their own story of hope, challenge, courage, and love. These stories are the very heart of everything we do. They remind us that Hugh’s House exists to provide comfort, support, and a home away from home during some of life’s most difficult moments.
In the following pages, you’ll meet some of the incredible families who have stayed with us and shared their experiences of kindness, care, and connection. Their journeys are deeply personal, yet filled with resilience and gratitude that inspire us every day.
If any of these stories touch your heart, please click on the Donate Button now. Your support helps Hugh’s House continue to be there for families when they need it most.
Nicola's Story
After giving birth to a beautiful baby boy on May 19th 2025, the last place we expected to be, 36 hours later, was Temple St.
On the day after Luke was born it was discovered that he was having seizures and we were told that he would need brain surgery to stop them. We were also told that we would be in Dublin for at least a year. Having our 2 and a half year old daughter Robyn at home in Galway made this seem utterly impossible.
Within a few days of arriving in Dublin, we were brought to accommodation nearby, a 4 storey building with bedrooms and en suites for parents during our most vulnerable times. The communal kitchen was filled with food and snacks for parents and families. The playroom was a lovely space for Robyn to enjoy on her trips to Dublin. The living spaces provided opportunities to meet and connect with other families and we certainly gained lifelong friends from it!
I will never know where we would have been without Hugh’s House.
Luke was having multiple seizures a day and after 5 months he underwent two major brain surgeries. During both of these excruciating 10 hour surgeries, Robert and I spent a lot of the time in Hugh’s House. We were able to be on our own away from the hospital. It gave us peace and calm and allowed us to endure the days together.
Having Hugh’s House so close to the hospital also meant we could pop over and back within minutes. It gave us a bed to sleep in at night in order to be ready for the long days in the hospital. It provided us with head space and calm away from the machines and endless beeps. It helped us form relationships with others who were in the same position, the only people who could truly understand what we were going through.
Luke’s surgery was extremely successful and he has been seizure free since his second surgery on 14th Oct 2025. He was discharged from hospital after almost 7 months and we count our blessings everyday. Being home together again as a family of four is all we ever wished for.
Hugh’s House will always hold a special place in our hearts and we willl be eternally grateful.
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Sabrina's Story
My name is Sabrina Gallagher, and I will be forever grateful to Hugh’s House for the care and support I received during the hardest time of my life.
My daughter’s journey began on the 20th of July, 2016. My beautiful baby girl, Madelyne, arrived far too early, born at just 29 weeks in Letterkenny General Hospital. She was so tiny, so fragile, and so very sick. Madeline had to be transferred to Holles Street Hospital in Dublin for specialist care, and I was also admitted there for a week after her birth. When I was discharged, I suddenly realised I had nowhere to go. I didn’t know Dublin, and I didn’t know where I could stay to be close to my baby.
That’s when a small act of kindness changed everything. My sister had a friend who mentioned Hugh’s House, a place I’d never heard of before. After a few phone calls, I was told there was a room waiting for me. From that moment on, Hugh’s House became my safe haven. Walking through the doors for the first time, I was greeted with warmth, compassion, and genuine care. The people who welcomed me are now people I call friends. My room was spotless and cosy, and for the first time in days, I could breathe.
Hugh’s House lifted a huge weight off my shoulders, they gave me a comfortable bed, home-cooked meals, and a safe, peaceful place to rest. Most importantly, they gave me the chance to focus all of my energy on Madelyne’s health and recovery. The love and kindness shown to me during that time will stay with me forever. Hugh’s House didn’t just give me a place to stay, they gave me strength, comfort, and hope when I needed it most.
Thank you, Hugh’s House. Without you, my story would have been very different.
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Susan's Story
Our son was born in CUH, but due to breathing difficulties, he needed to be transferred to Temple Street. Not knowing anyone in Dublin, we had no idea where we would stay. The night before we left, a nurse mentioned a place called Hugh’s House that might offer accommodation.
I rang immediately and spoke to a woman named Ade. She listened intently to our story and assured me that as long as our son was in hospital, we would have a place to stay. At the time, we had no idea we’d be in Dublin for three months.
The next day, while following the ambulance to Temple Street, Ade called and told us to head straight to Hugh’s House afterwards, where we’d be welcomed by Robbie. When we arrived, Robbie greeted us warmly and offered us a cup of tea. He showed us around the kitchen, pointed out the fully stocked freezers, and told us to make ourselves at home. I remember crying from the kindness and comfort he offered, it was unforgettable. Robbie was also staying there, as his son Henry was in hospital too.
We met Ade the following afternoon. She shared the story behind Hugh’s House, which she founded in honour of her son Hugh. When Hugh was in hospital, Ade saw how difficult it was for families from outside Dublin to stay close to their children due to the cost. She decided to create a home for those families—this is the heart and mission of Hugh’s House.
I truly don’t know how I would have coped during those months without Hugh’s House. It wasn’t just a place to stay; it became our home and our family. Everyone there was carrying their own burden, but in the evenings, it was a place of peace and support. I will be forever grateful. Our evening chats in the kitchen became a source of comfort and friendship.
Louise's Story
In 2016, our little boy Robert suffered an acute illness which completely knocked us for six. Within a week, he went from being a six-week-old baby with some minor health problems to being in Crumlin and then Temple Street on a ventilator without a safe airway. No one can imagine how this feels unless you live it. No airway means no life. We often forget in these times the practical elements of managing normal life in parallel to the stress of hospital life. Life outside the hospital moves on.
Hugh’s House looked after us and cared for us so we were able to focus on our children. We lived in Kildare with our other son, who was two at that time, and life was busy already. As our baby was in the ICU, we couldn’t stay with him at the hospital. This was unbearable for us. We were completely torn between the hospital and our two-year-old little boy Tommy at home, having to make big decisions about our baby’s care and future in the middle of it all. Hugh's House gave us a sense of security and safety, and somewhere to rest in all the madness.
There were volunteers giving up their time to cook and clean and lend a listening ear. We were able to bring our son Tommy with us to Hugh’s House, which made all the difference. There was a little garden for him to play in during the day, and we were just around the corner from the hospital. I'll never forget the kindness of Ade in all of this, and what an amazing, resilient woman she is in the face of her own grief and loss. She was thinking of other people and how she could make their lives better. There are some things you will never appreciate until you can reflect.
10 years on, every time I think of Hugh's House, a tear comes to my eye. We were in Hugh's House for three months; we made lifelong friends there, and being able to share experiences in the evening over a pizza made coping with one of the most difficult experiences of our lives a thousand times more bearable. We will never forget the kindness and the hospitality we experienced at Hugh’s House. A big thank you from us all.
Tanya's Story
When our son SJ was born in June 2016 at just 27 weeks, our world turned upside down. He came into this world far too soon and faced challenges no baby should ever have to face, two bleeds on the brain, a hole in his heart, and a pulmonary haemorrhage.
Those first few days and weeks were full of fear and uncertainty. We were in Dublin, far from home, clinging to hope and trying to stay strong for our tiny fighter. It was during this time we were introduced to Hugh’s House. The hospital social worker reached out to Ade, the founder of Hugh’s House, who had created this incredible haven in memory of her little boy, Hugh. The night I was discharged from hospital, we went straight to Hugh's House, and that’s where our healing began.
From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth and compassion. Each family had their own room, and there was a communal kitchen where everyone came together at the end of long, emotional days at the hospital. It quickly became a place of connection and comfort. We met other parents also living through difficult times, families whose children were battling illnesses in various Dublin hospitals. We formed deep friendships with three of those families in particular. We’d spend our days by our children’s bedsides and in the evenings gather in the kitchen, sharing meals, stories, and moments of hope. It was a bond like no other; we often say we became part of the Hugh's House family. The kindness within those walls was endless. Volunteers came in to cook meals for everyone staying there, filling the house with the smell of real food and the feeling of care.
There were times we’d receive donations of brand-new toys, baby clothes, and thoughtful gifts, small gestures that meant the world during such a difficult time. We stayed in Hugh’s House for about three months, and I can honestly say we couldn’t have managed without it. There’s no way we could have afforded to stay in Dublin that long. Hugh's House never asked us for anything, no fees, no expectations, just kindness and understanding. It truly was a home away from home when we needed it most.
What Ade has created is extraordinary. Out of her own heartbreak, she built a place that brings light and love to families walking through their darkest moments. We think of Ade often, and of all the wonderful people we met there, our Hugh's House family who shared that time with us. We’ve been proud to raise funds for Hugh's House since our stay, as it will always hold a very special place in our hearts. The difference it made to our family is beyond words. Hugh's House gave us a safe place to rest, to connect, and to breathe. It gave us strength when everything felt impossible.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Ade, and everyone who supports Hugh's House. Your kindness and generosity have touched countless families, ours included, and we will never forget the love and care we found within those walls.
Tricia and Phillip's Story
In May 2025 our son Sam was born at just 25 weeks following a partial placental abruption. I had been transferred from Galway to the Coombe Hospital, and overnight our lives changed completely. While I remained in hospital, my husband was staying in nearby hotels, which quickly became expensive and added extra stress at a time when all our energy needed to be focused on Sam.
Our medical social worker arranged a place for us in Hugh’s House, and it made an enormous difference during those early weeks. After long days in the NICU, having a small space to call our own meant everything. We were able to cook meals, wash our clothes, and simply sit together and process what was happening, all while remaining close to our baby.
We stayed in Hugh’s House until Sam was one month old and strong enough to be transferred back to Galway. Those weeks were undoubtedly the hardest of my life, but having somewhere safe and close to the hospital made it all a little bit easier for us as a family. Sam is now a healthy and happy nine-month-old, and we’ll always be grateful for the support we received during those early days.
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