A doting Irish grandmother - whose dream of moving permanently to Australia to live out the rest of her days with her young family has captured the imagination of the public - has put her plan into action by putting her house up for sale.
Grandparents Janet and Eugene Bennis said the time cannot come quick enough when they give up their life in Ireland and follow the emigrant path of their four grown-up children, who all now live in Australia.
The Limerick couple said living thousands of miles away from their four young grandchildren, the youngest of who is just seven-weeks old, is becoming more painful by the day.
But this week Janet, 53, revealed she's taken a major step in making her dream become reality after putting the four-bedroom family home [in Granville Park near Limerick city centre] she first moved into 28 years ago on the market.
And she said that she now felt certain that she and husband Eugene, 58, will be in a position to make a permanent move to Brisbane - where three of her adult children live - by early next year.
She said: "It's a huge step and a very emotional one, because all our family history is in this house and we've so many happy memories. But there's no turning back now, because the auctioneer will be here next week to put up the 'For Sale' sign on the house.
"We need to sell the house to make the move and the end of this journey will be a very happy one, because we'll be back together with our children and little grandchildren."
Like many parents across Ireland who have had to endure the pain of seeing their children emigrate over the past few years, Janet says that skyping her far-flung offspring - Melbourne-based married mother-of-two Jennifer, 29, married father-of-two Eoin, 28, Claire, 25, and Cian, - has proved a lifeline.
But she said missing out on the joy of watching her grandchildren grow up has proved particularly heart-wrenching
Her next step after selling the house will be to secure two permanent visas, which cost almost €30,000 (Aus$43,000) each.
But Janet, who is a caterer at the University of Limerick, said she's every reason to believe that her new life Down Under will be a complete success.
She and her husband, who's out of work, will have no accommodation worries, as they'll be moving into the five-bedroom Brisbane house that two of their children - Claire and Cian and their respective partners - recently bought.
And Janet, who has already received two job offers, said she's confident that both she and Eugene will have little problem finding work.
She added: "We're missing so many wonderful moments and family occasions. Jennifer turns 30 in July and there's going to be a big party. And Claire is engaged now and she's decided she won't get married until her Daddy's there to walk her down the aisle.
"It doesn't make any sense for us to stay in Limerick any longer and the sooner we can get out to Australia to join our family, the better."
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