A hail Mary for Tarragh

This year's Midlands Mary is on a mission to spread awareness on epilepsy and how to help somebody who is taking a seizure.

Tarragh Brady is just finished her final shift as a receptionist in the Cavan Crystal Hotel, who is her main sponsor, when she speaks to the Celt about her reasons for participating in this year's Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival. She's off to Donegal on the Emerald Isle Aer Lingus flight for 10 days the following day and, despite just finishing a day's work, Tarragh is brimming with excitement and positive energy. Her snow-white sash had been cleaned and pressed by her granny Bridie O'Neill, who also gave her a miraculous medal for luck along the way.

"I might just need that for the propellor plane," Tarragh laughed.

It's the 58th year of the festival hosted by Daniel O'Donnell, and Tarragh is the first ever Midlands Mary, a title she takes great pride in.

"There has never been a Cavan Mary to win it," she shared. Just about to embark on her tour when she spoke to the Celt last Thursday, she described how the judging panel of five are "really watching you the whole week".

"They do look for certain things, obviously we don't know what they look for because every year is different," she said, guessing that they will be watching for attitude, actions and "absolutely everything" in between.

Her main interview will take place this Sunday (August 3), when she will be interviewed by Daniel O'Donnell and perform her party piece. The avid jiver will pull her father Anthony up on stage for a dance, a skill he taught her at a very young age.

At the forefront of Tarragh's agenda at this year's festival is spreading awareness on epilepsy. In addition, she wants to share her passion for country music and jiving, her outgoing and determined personality with others.

She has also competed in 400m hurdles for several years, when she travelled across Ireland and Europe to compete.

The Ballyhasie woman's positivity is the most visible when she speaks about her epilepsy diagnosis, which saw her unable to drive for a year and a half. In her younger days, she had Childhood Absence Epilepsy and was seven years seizure free until February 2023. She was diagnosed with Clonic-Tonic Epilepsy.

"After being seizure free for so many years, it's tough getting the setback," she admitted.

"The minute you take a seizure that's it, you've lost your independence, you're off the road for a year, you're depending on everyone.

"It's not a nice feeling," she described, adding that there are also side effects that people don't see such as tiredness, loss of appetite and migraines. Meanwhile, many had not heard of her condition.

"When I got diagnosed with Clonic-Tonic Epilepsy, the amount of people that hadn't a clue what to do if I were to take a seizure around somebody was outrageous.

"There was no awareness about it whatsoever," she revealed.

Upon diagnosis, she informed all of her family and friends, and now she is on a larger mission to educate as many people as possible on how they can help somebody who is taking a seizure.

"It could happen me like that," she told the Celt, snapping her fingers.

First off, she said placing a spoon into somebody's mouth so they do not swallow their tongue is a myth and should not be done.

"You do not touch their mouth," Tarragh informed, adding "it is so dangerous".

"Just put them to a safe place on the floor and make sure that their surroundings are clear so you know they're not going to hurt themselves."

"You should always time the seizure and, if the seizure lasts more than five minutes, you should ring an ambulance."

Tarragh also encouraged people to check for medical IDs in pockets or on the person's phone.

"It [a seizure] is dangerous, you don't know how long it's going to last and that can deprive the brain of oxygen," she said, adding that a bystander "could save someone's life".

Personally, she carries her medication called 'Buccolam', which should be administered straight away in the event of a seizure. She also wears a dainty silver bracelet on her wrist, which was made for her in Elegant Gems as part of their permanent jewellery collection.

On the back of the pendant is the word epilepsy and her mum Fiona's phone number so first responders will know what's wrong and who to call.

"I didn't want something that is really big and bulky, so they made this for me."

While spreading awareness is her main reason, she also wants to meet the other 15 Marys, make new memories and honour her late aunt Róisín Mulhare who passed away with stomach cancer in November 2014.

"She was the Annalee Rose so she was a massive inspiration. I always wanted to go for an event like this."

"It's a happy occasion for my mam's family, for my granny and grandad as well. It will bring back a lot of memories.

"I'm really looking forward to it, it's something different."

"All sixteen Marys have agreed yes there will be one winner but at the end of the day we're all winners.

"They are the best bunch of girls," she said, having all ready met them on tours around the country, during which they made one stop in Cavan to Ballyhaise Agricultural College and later to the Cavan Crystal Hotel.

"It was just lovely."

The Pharmaceutical Science student first heard about the festival when she attended in 2018 to support the Down Mary, a friend of hers.

"We had the best time of our lives. I just thought it was something so different and ever since I just wanted to do it."In addition, Tarragh is after coming through a tough few years since her diagnosis, which has made her realise that she wants to put herself "out there".

She became the Midlands Mary in March and the support since has been phenomenal.

"I have been very lucky, I got a lot of sponsorship around Cavan," she said.

"The support from both Cavan Town, the whole community and Ballyhaise has been great.

"It's all exciting, it'll be a great week and I'm really looking forward to it."

The festival takes place from July 24 to August 4, with the crowning taking place on Sunday, August 3, which will be live on TG4 from 7:30pm.