Doting grandfather whose image went viral finally gets to hold his baby grandson - 15 weeks later
The loving grandfather whose image went viral when he met his first grandson through a window during lockdown has finally got to hold his son's baby after 15 weeks.
The striking picture of Michael Gallagher meeting days-old Faolán through the glass went across the world, appearing on Sky News, CNN, America Today and even on Dr Phil.
Now the little man is even going to be included in a new documentary on Covid-19 restrictions which is currently being made for Netflix.
Michael's daughter-in-law Emma took the snap just days into lockdown in their home in Drumconrath, Co Meath, where the new family-of-three remained until they got the green light for people to enter the house.
Even when the Government lifted restrictions to allow people to meet in small groups outside the home, they stayed put until a few weeks ago when they welcomed their parents in to hold little Faolán - which means little wolf - in the flesh for the first time.
"Faolán was born on March 14 in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, just two days after the schools were closed and we were just in our little bubble in the hospital," said dad Mícheál Ó Gallachóir.
"Lockdown happened as we came home from hospital so no-one was allowed inside our house.
"Emma took the snap of my dad Michael seeing Faolán for the first time through our window. It was a bit surreal.
"My mam Sheila and Emma's mam Mary Dillon also met Faolán through the window and they were disinfecting the glass outside every time they called," he laughed.
"It was such a relief to us just to get a break and be able to think about the Christening which we are holding in the local church in a few weeks."
Emma and Micheal are still flabbergasted at how their simple snap gained such worldwide attention.
"Emma took the picture of my dad looking in through the window and my sister Emma put it on Twitter and my dad posted it on his Facebook and all of a sudden it started getting thousands of views.
"Then we began getting calls from the Today Show in America, CNN and even Dr Phil and I suppose it was a welcome distraction to us through such uncertain times.
"Little Faolán is just a few months old and already famous and Netflix have asked to include us in a documentary about the Covid-19 restrictions so we have been sending them short videos of how we are getting on.
"It'll be some laugh when we bring the baby pictures out at his 18th!"
Grandfather Michael, who is well-known as a local Sinn Féin Councillor, described his first actual meeting with Faolán as "wonderful".
"It was hard on everyone not to be able to physically hug them and tell them how well they've been doing as new parents and also to hold Faolán - the first grandchild for Sheila and I," he said.
"It's one thing to see and talk to people you love through a window but the personal touch is priceless and I don't think anyone will take that for granted anymore."
