A 21-year-old woman who was stabbed by her ex-boyfriend 50 times, leaving her blind in one eye, has said her life will never be the same again.
She has urged those in abusive relationships to leave “before it gets even worse”.
Niamh Kelly suffered life-altering injuries after Josh O’Brien (22) carried out an unprovoked attack last year near her home in Firhouse, Dublin 24.
Ms Kelly said the pair had begun a relationship in November 2022 before she became pregnant, saying that at this point “things kind of went downhill”. She said O’Brien became “aggressive” and started sending “nasty” messages to her.
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She still gets flashbacks of the attack, she said, describing it as “traumatic”.
Ms Kelly met O’Brien about a week after they broke up in September 2024, she recalled.
“He just kept kind of pushing me to get back together, but I just kept denying,” she said, speaking on RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland on Tuesday.
Once they reached the gate of her home, they continued talking, with O’Brien telling her they could be a “good family”. After rejecting him again, she said he suddenly began to punch and slap her in the face several times.
[ Man who stabbed ex-girlfriend 50 times jailed for 14 yearsOpens in new window ]
Ms Kelly recalled lying on the ground after being punched several times before he stabbed her.
“I didn’t really see him stab me, I just felt all the blood all over my hands,” she said, adding that she became “weaker and weaker”.
Her spine was injured after he severed a part of her spinal cord, she said, meaning she could not move while on the ground.
“I can’t really walk with my leg now,” she said, adding she uses crutches to walk and requires a wheelchair for longer distances.
An off-duty paramedic came to her aid before she was brought to hospital, where medical staff believed she would never walk again due to the damage to her spinal cord.
“I am grateful that I am still here today,” she said, describing it as a “miracle”.
Her ex-boyfriend was sentenced on Monday to 15 years and six months, with the final 18 months suspended.
Ms Kelly thought he would receive a longer sentence due to the severity of her injuries.
“I am obviously going to be disappointed, but at the end of the day, it is what the judge thinks is best,” she said. However, she added she is glad the sentence is more than 10 years.
“My life’s never really going to be the same again,” she said, adding that she cannot return to her job due to her injuries.
“If I wasn’t found, then I would have been dead on the side of the road,” she said.
“It’s just not fair, I have to heal from the trauma that he caused me while he’s just obviously sitting in prison.” .
Asked if she had advice for other women in relationships with abusive partners, she said:
“Once you see signs that it’s getting toxic, you need to go,” adding that there is help available.
“Get out of that relationship before it gets even worse.”
Anyone needing support should contact: Women’s Aid Helpline (24 hours) 1800 341 900; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Helpline (24 hours) 1800 778 888; Safe Ireland (01) 5783001; Men’s Development Network Advice Line 1800 816 588; gardaí (24 hours) 999/112.
