By Aoife Doherty

25 YEARS ago this week Donegal GAA star Ryan McHugh featured in the Donegal News – but not for his Gaelic football talents.

McHugh, aged six, was the victim of an animal attack while holidaying in America with his family.

The article that featured in the Donegal News September 22, 2000.

Read the full article below

Kilcar boy was bitten by fox while on holiday in the US
THE six-year-old son of former Donegal GAA Martin McHugh who was bitten by a rabid fox while оn a family holiday in the United States is now back at school in Kilcar.

Martin McHugh, his wife Patrice and their three children Mark, Ryan and Rachel were staying with friends in the Catskill mountains, upstate New York when the incident occurred earlier this month.

Ryan (6) and his big brother Mark had been playing outside with friends when the crazed fax approached. Terrified, they ran indoors but the fox bit into Ryan’s leg.

A family friend Pat McGill from Ardara, pulled the fox off the screaming boy but when neighbours saw him trying to kill the fox they called the police thinking Mr McGill was being cruel to the animal.

However, when the police arrived and they realised what had happened they immediately shot the diseased fox.

McHugh took his son to the nearest hospital where he needed five injections but thankfully he has fully recovered from his ordeal.

“We were not worried about the disease because the treatment is very effective and the medical staff were absolutely brilliant. We were more concerned about Ryan’s fear of animals” McHugh said.

“I come from a farming background and Ryan is very close with my father. He loves going out to the farm at the weekends. We will have to wait to see if he has developed a fear of animals” he added.

Ryan McHugh aged 6.