Bláithín makes her grand entrance – at garda station

TWO gardaí from Macroom found themselves dealing with an emergency of a different kind on August 16th last when Stephen Roche walked into Macroom Garda Station to tell them that his wife Katie, who was outside in the car, was about to go into labour. 

The couple, who live in Carriganima, had been heading to CUH but had to pull into Macroom Garda Station, en route to Cork.

‘Stephen came into the front office and said his wife was in labour outside in the car, so Gda Deirdre Crowley – who is only new to the District – and myself grabbed the gloves and ran out to her,’ Gda Triona Collins told The Southern Star.

‘As we both have been through the labour experience, we knew immediately the baby was coming and Katie, who was in front seat of the car, was remarkable and very focussed once she accepted the baby was coming.’

While the two gardaí were attempting to get Katie out of the car, an ambulance fortunately arrived and paramedics transferred her into it.

‘We were very lucky that there was an ambulance in Macroom at the time, and the minute she was taken in there we heard silence and then the sound of a baby crying,’ said Gda Collins.

‘It was an amazing experience and even though we don’t even know Katie, we are exceptionally proud of her,’ she added.

Gda Collins added that it was refreshing to be involved in a feelgood positive story and the fact that everyone was okay made it a great day.

‘We were prepared to deliver the baby, but in the end the paramedics did it. We had a cup of tea and a debrief after all the excitement, and then we went back to work,’ said the garda.

Proud parents Stephen and Katie said they were lucky that there was an ambulance on duty in Macroom that day.

 They have also praised the paramedics, Gda Triona Collins and Gda Deirdre Crowley, as well as Dr Jason van der Velde of West Cork Rapid Response, who met with them at Lissarda while they were en route to CUH.