Darragh McCullough, RTÉ presenter, faces unexpected hurdles bringing his newborn daughter, Grace, home from North Cyprus after a joyous yet turbulent surrogacy journey.
An RTÉ presenter has shared his experience of being turned away from the EU border while attempting to bring home his newborn baby daughter, born via surrogate in North Cyprus . Darragh McCullough, known for presenting RTÉ 's Ear to the Ground, welcomed his daughter, Grace, nearly three weeks ago. Darragh, who also farms in County Meath, is currently in North Cyprus with his wife Aoife and their newborn, who arrived three weeks prematurely.
\'We were at home preparing dinner when we received a call informing us that our surrogate mother had gone into labor,' Darragh recalled. 'We hurriedly booked the next available flight to Cyprus.' The couple, who have been married for 16 years, took a direct flight to Paphos in South Cyprus followed by a two-hour taxi ride to the north where they met their baby daughter Grace for the first time at the hospital. \'She's doing remarkably well,' Darragh said. 'She's feeding perfectly and doesn't cry excessively.' Though Grace was diagnosed with jaundice, she has responded well to treatment and is thriving. Darragh described the experience as a whirlwind of emotions: 'It's a mix of adrenaline, excitement, nervousness, fear, and immense joy.' After approximately 15 years of trying to start a family, they finally achieved their dream. Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 with Oliver Callan, Darragh revealed that a particularly emotional moment was when they first took Grace for a stroll in a pram. It was an image they had longed for. 'That was just an image that we had dreamed of for a long time,' he said, his voice cracking with emotion. \Darragh expressed that he had, at times, come to accept the possibility of never having a family, but thankfully, that wasn't their reality. He emphasized that surrogacy was a carefully considered decision after IVF proved unsuccessful. He reassured listeners that all parties involved have legal representation and a DNA test has been conducted. The surrogate mother, Darragh shared, is from Ukraine and doing well; they have met her on several occasions. She is a seasoned surrogate with two children of her own. He described their journey as not always straightforward. 'We have a lot of ups and downs through IVF and even this surrogacy journey', Darragh admitted. The challenges are not over yet, as they still face hurdles in bringing Grace home to Ireland. \Yesterday, Darragh and his family traveled to the border between North Cyprus and South Cyprus, a part of the EU, believing they had all the necessary documents to cross. However, they were turned away at the border. As the taxi driver informed them, the laws had changed the day before, requiring additional paperwork from the Turkish Interior Ministry. With a national holiday in progress for the next few days, they are effectively stranded. 'I was quite frustrated at the time,' Darragh admitted. 'But in the end, the only thing we lost was a couple of nights' accommodation booked in the south.' He expressed that while they are enjoying the pleasant weather and sunshine in Cyprus, they are eager to return home.
RTÉ Presenter Surrogacy Newborn Cyprus Border Crossing Legal Issues
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