Earlier this year, Irish Country Living teamed up with The Gathering to offer four lucky readers the chance to bring home their loved ones in 2013, with flights to the value of €2,500, to celebrate The Gathering in style.

From Shercock to Shanghai, Irish Country Living readers worldwide responded to our call. Four winners were announced in August and we are delighted to bring you into the fold and let you know how they will celebrate the year of The Gathering.

The Murray Family,

Co Cavan

Sean Murray, a UCD agriculture graduate, immigrated to Canada in the summer of 2010 to look for work and a new adventure. He now lives in Toronto with five other Irish immigrants. Sean grew up on a dairy farm outside Shercock, Co Cavan, where four generations of the Murray family now reside.

“I really missed it when I moved to Toronto,” says Sean of his agricultural background. “Then I got a job at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. It was a great opportunity to work on a huge event that showcases the best of Canada’s agriculture on a global platform. I still go back and help out at the Royal, but now I work as a data analyst for Canada Goose. I just got made permanent and the prospects are good.”

Sean admits that emigrating wasn’t easy for himself or his family, but he has applied for his permanent residency to keep his options open.

“The winters are harsh here and setting up a home and finding a good job takes time, but I really like it and I have a great quality of life, so we’ll see what the future holds,” he says.

This will be Sean’s first Christmas at home in four years.

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“My family are looking forward to having a full house,” he says. “It’ll be nice to have a proper Irish dinner instead of a gang of puzzled immigrants trying to figure out if the turkey is cooked. I’m really looking forward to being home with my family and friends, eating too much, milking on Christmas morning, and being a tourist in Ireland. It’s all thanks to the Irish Country Living.”

The Charles Family,

Limerick

From the townland of Ballycoshown, outside Cappamore in Co Limerick, the Charles family are excited about welcoming home their daughter, Adrienne.

Adrienne, a twin, immigrated to Canada along with her childhood friend, Laura Ryan, in September 2012. A law graduate, Adrienne now lives and works in Toronto, Ontario. It was hard for her to leave her family behind but she has settled into life in Canada and has applied for a visa to stay longer.

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However, she still misses life in Limerick and her family and friends, but, most of all, the family pet, Boots. While on Skype with her family over the last few months, Boots has been less than responsive, so Adrienne is now looking forward to returning at Christmas for a big cuddle.

Christmas can’t come quick enough for the Charles family as they look forward to introducing three new members of the extended family to Adrienne and spending quality time together. Adrienne and her friend Laura are also looking forward to escaping the tough Canadian winter and stocking up on some much-loved Irish goodies like Tayto, Barry’s Tea and Cadbury chocolate. Both Adrienne and Laura’s family will be counting down the hours until their arrival, so they can kick off the “Charles-Ryan” Gathering 2013.

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“We are planning to have a big traditional family Christmas this year and can’t wait to have Adrienne home with us,” says her mother, Rita.

The Crean Family,

Wexford

It was 13-year-old Eva Crean’s heartfelt plea to bring her brother, Liam, a carpenter, back from Australia that really pulled the judges heartstrings.

“Liam, who is 24, has always spoiled me,” she wrote.

“I think I’m his pet. He carries me around on his shoulders and says that his lap is just the right size for me. He calls me ‘E’. He is always happy and makes me happy. On 28 March, 2011, Liam left home and went to Australia.

“He is living in Sydney with his girlfriend Cathy. He sends me lots of texts and he Skypes me every Saturday morning.

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“I just miss him and I want him to come home. I hope he wins this competition so that we can all be together again.”

And, thanks to The Gathering, Eva and the rest of the family are looking forward to welcoming Liam home in the very near future.

“Eva felt like she was 10ft tall when she heard she’d won,” says mum Trish.

“Liam really misses his Sunday roasts, so he’ll be looking forward to home-cooked dinners as well as catching up with his friends and family, especially his Nana Crean and Nanny Breen.

“It’s just a dream come true and we are so grateful to Irish Country Living.”

The Kilgallen Family,

Co Sligo

The Kilgallen family from Skreen, Co Sligo, are still on cloud nine after being chosen as one of the winners in The Gathering competition.

Tom Kilgallen, who works in finance, moved to New York 19 years ago, where he met his wife, Kristin, a yoga teacher, in 2003.

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While home for his niece’s christening in Sligo in 2005, Tom proposed to Kristin on the top of Knocknarea mountain.

They came back to Ireland to get married the following year, accompanied by Kristin’s family and friends. They now live in Andover, Boston, along with their three children, Maeve (six), Ashlin (five) and Shay (two).

While the children can’t wait to come to the farm and Tom is looking forward to getting back to his roots and meeting old friends, Kristin is excited about something typically Irish – the traditional bacon and cabbage dinner she has experienced on her visits to Ireland in the past. CL