Stella McGuire is a single mother with nine children ranging in age from sixteen to four years old - Adrian, Aoife, Connor, Declan, Emit, Fionnuala, Fiacra, Sorcha and Ursula. Order within the household is maintained according to a strict rota - with the children getting set domestic tasks to perform each day. The rota includes looking after six-year-old Fiacra who was born with a rare chromosome abnormality and has severe mental and physical disabilities. Fiacra needs twenty-four-hour care - care which his eight brothers and sisters are willing to give.

"It's a tightly knit house," says Adrian "who knows how many TVs and stereos are on all over the place. There's laughing and giggling - a whole bunch of emotions packed into one. Being the eldest, I do get a bit more work - but nothing major. Having a brother with such a disability, means extra work. At the same time, I feel good about myself. I get a lot of satisfaction. Our whole house is kept together through looking after Fiacra."

Does Aoife, as the eldest daughter, find the responsibilty tough going at times? "Yes - sometimes - but I’ve always looked after others, you can’t just think of yourself." But she laughs as she talks about what Fiacra has given her, "Happiness..he’s just so brilliant, and just so cheerful, and so much love’s put into him."

With so many people in the house, there's plenty of scope for fallouts and arguments, but Stella's got this sorted out with fortnightly family meetings. She got the idea shortly after the breakdown of her marriage, when the children were counselled together. Stella, seeing how beneficial it was for everyone to have their say, decided to adopt it as part of family life. "The children get a chance to have their voice heard each in turn," she says, "Although it might take a while to get round them…" Aoife adds, "It’s good to get your feelings out. You sort things out instead of shouting and rowing about them. It’s like a wee counselling session."

The children's responsibilities don't affect their social lives. Work's done early if they want to be off and away. And Stella goes to great lengths to make sure they have time to do their own thing, "They’ll be away at their discos, over at friends houses," she says, "and friends come here. Last week there were thirteen children here. There’s never a patch of carpet left."

In spite of, or because of their caring role, the children sound happy to be together, "There's no big fallouts," says Adrian, "it's like having a whole lot of mates." Stella admits it's hard-going at times, "But we’re very good friends at the end of the day. There's often a couple of the kids dancing, or jigging round floor with you - these are the memories I want the children to grow up with."