Ennis couple have first Clare baby of the year

AN Ennis couple had a very special reason to celebrate the new year as they welcomed their newborn son into the world, the first Clare baby to be born this year.

Emer Cleary gave birth to baby John Francis Cleary at the Regional Maternity Hospital in Limerick at 1.45am on January 1, weighing in at 10lb 9oz.
Proud parents John and Emer from Garran na Coille, Ennis, were thrilled to introduce their new addition to the family and to big brother Michael, who is nearly three.
Emer described the new baby as their “little darling”, saying he has been “really good” since being brought home from hospital.
Emer’s mother, Frances O’Reilly, was among the many well-wishers congratulating the pair and she was delighted that they named their new son after her.
Emer explained that John Francis was due on Christmas Day but arrived a week late. She described the labour as “grand”.
“I had a c-section the first time so it was great to be able to do it myself. The midwife told me that to have a 10lb 9oz baby after having a c-section and not to have another one was nothing short of a miracle. I was thrilled I got to do it myself,” she said.
Emer said they didn’t even realise their baby was set to hit the headlines. “I couldn’t believe it when they said he was the first Clare baby of the new year. I didn’t realise it until later when the midwife came in and asked about photographers wanting to take pictures. I was amazed. It certainly wasn’t my goal to have the first baby of the new year, my only goal was to get through Christmas dinner,” she laughed.
Emer is well known to many in Ennis through her work at the EBS building society, while John makes a daily commute to Dublin to his job in the GPO.
“He’s been off this week helping me but it will be a busy schedule when he’s back at work so it will be all hands on deck,” Emer said.
Another Clare baby came into the world a little later on New Year’s morning but much sooner than parents Keith Lenihan from Crusheen and Aisling Halpin from Newmarket-on-Fergus expected. Aoibhinn Lenihan, the couple’s first child, was born on Saturday morning, two weeks earlier than anticipated.
“Aoibhinn is cool out. Her mother’s water broke on Friday but nothing was happening. I got a call at 4am and the child was born at 6.30am. It is a great start to the year, if slightly unexpected,” said proud dad Keith.
Meanwhile, Scariff couple Damien and Caroline O’Brien of Ballyminogue, Scariff, welcomed their new arrival as they rang in the new year with the birth of baby Rory at 10.30am on New Years Day, also at Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital.