Friday, December 31, 2010

Baby born in oratory after failing to make it to maternity hospital

A baby boy has been born in the oratory of an older persons community hospital in Co. Cork after his parents failed to make it to the maternity hospital in time for his arrival.

Staff at Macroom Community Hospital had to deliver Conn Sylvester O’Connell after his parents, Mary and John, headed for the local hospital when they realised they would not reach Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) quickly enough from their home in Reidh na Deiri because of treacherous ice on the road.

Mr and Mrs O’Connell had hoped that an ambulance from the maternity hospital would pick Mary up in Macroom to bring her the rest of the way, but nature intervened and Conn arrived in the hospital oratory.

“We were like Holy Mary and the manger and we found our inn at Macroom hospital,” Mrs O’Connell remarked.

Coincidentally, it was the O’Connells’ fellow parishioner and Macroom hospital staff member Joan Dineen, who helped deliver Conn who weighed in at 3.4kg and was said to be doing well.

After the delivery Mrs O’Connell and her new baby were brought to CUMH by ambulance, accompanied by Ms Dineen.

It was the first birth in eleven years at the 38-bed community hospital, which once provided a range of services but now specialises in looking after elderly patients.

SIC: CIN/IE