Girl injured in Dublin stabbing ‘communicating on new level’

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

A girl who was seriously injured in a knife attack in Dublin’s Parnell Square is creating art and communicating on a “whole new level”, her family has said.

Through a message on a GoFundMe page, the family said she can engage “in conversation with her eyes, smiles and sounds resembling words”.

Two other children and a creche worker were also hurt in the attack in Parnell Square East on November 23rd, 2023.

The girl, who is now aged six but was five at the time, was gravely injured and spent several weeks in paediatric intensive care.

She spent more than 370 days in hospital before moving home.

Earlier this year, she was said to be “thriving”.

In an update on Thursday, the family said: “This week has shown us how much strength we can all have in our souls.

“We had an appointment at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, as an outpatient, and I was rather uncomfortable with the thought of going back there after so long. But, one must persevere.

“Getting off the Luas, I decided to walk past the school and where the incident had happened.

“Our little girl doesn’t seem to remember, or have any trauma from the day, but I was apprehensive.

“Once we had walked past, I felt relieved, almost as if we had come full circle, breaking whatever bad energy had been left there on November 23 2023.

“We can do hard things. And I see this every day with our little girl: she can now hold a paintbrush and, with some assistance, create beautiful art.

“She can sit on my lap and hold her head up high for several minutes. She can engage with us in conversation with her eyes, smiles and sounds resembling words.

“She can laugh at silly things and cry during sad moments in her favourite movies.

“She can decide what she wants to do – and clearly what she doesn’t. Communication has taken a whole new level.

“The important thing is, despite the heartache and challenges, never to give up.”

A riot erupted in Dublin city centre after the attack.

A man has been charged and put before a Dublin court.

Riad Bouchaker, 50, of no fixed address, is accused of trying to murder the two girls and one boy.

He is also charged with assault causing serious harm to the creche worker.

He is further charged with three counts of assault causing harm and the possession and production of a 36cm kitchen knife.