THE FAMILY OF the young girl who was severely injured in a mass stabbing outside her Gaelscoil on Parnell Square have shared what they say will be their final update, as the second anniversary of the attack approaches.

She was one of three young students attacked along with a care worker outside the school on 23 November 2023, an incident that prompted widespread shock and led to hours of unrest in the city centre.

The girl, aged five at the time of the attack, spent the majority of last year in Temple Street Children’s Hospital, before being released from medical care late last year.

In a post published on their GoFundMe yesterday, the victim’s mother reflected on “2 years of drive to live… 2 years of hard work and dedication”, saying the now seven-year-old continues to make steady progress as she relearns basic abilities affected by the attack.

She said that Thursdays remain a difficult reminder of the day her daughter was injured, but added that the pain “is not raw” anymore, instead “shelled by love and strength”.

“The joy I see in my little girl’s eyes is enough to chip away any ache my heart carries,” the mother said in the post.

“I do cry still, but not as often or as painfully as I did before. The cry is for missing the old her or imagining what we would be up to at 7 years of age.”

Previous updates described major recovery developments for the girl in recent months.

Her seventh birthday was celebrated at home “with family and friends, no PPE in sight, and lots of cake tasting”, a milestone her parents described as particularly meaningful.

The family also thanked the public for the support shown since the attack, saying they were “beyond thankful” for the generosity that helped raise more than €141,500.

They said the GoFundMe page will be taken down at the end of this month as they shift their focus to upcoming legal proceedings due to begin in December.

The girl had returned to full-time schooling earlier this year, with her parents previously describing her Gaelscoil as a “very special institution” that went “above and beyond” to make her feel part of the group.

“We are also humbled by all those people who showed everyone involved in the attack that day that kindness and help can come in all shapes and sizes, and that you did not do it for any other reason besides helping,” the mother added.

“You are truly heroic.”