Defibrillator proves its worth at GAA grounds

THE presence of a defibrillator at Wolfe Tones GAA Club in Shannon may well have saved a life last weekend.
Fifteen minutes into the U-21 A hurling quarter-final between St Joseph’s and Clonlara last Saturday morning, the father of one of the St Joseph’s players suddenly took ill.
The defibrillator was used and shortly afterwards, paramedics arrived. Some further treatment was given at the grounds before the man was taken to hospital.
Nurse Bridget Conlon was on first aid detail at the match for Clonlara and was involved in giving CPR to the man.
“I was on the line doing first aid and so was Kate Ryan. My nephew Clement Nihill is a physical therapist and he was there too. We got a call from one of the mentors that a man was after collapsing. We went up to the hill and there were a few people working with him. I would have been involved in doing CPR with others and Clement used the defibrillator. He was involved in getting them for use in Clonlara and he has done a course on using them.”
She said but for the defibrillator and the prompt treatment, there would probably have been a tragedy. “I’d say that only for it he (the spectator) would not be alive,” she added.
Kathy Hogan, the medical officer with Wolfe Tones, said having the defibrillator at the club grounds has made a huge difference.
“It’s been there for just over two years. St Connaire’s did fundraising and presented us with a cheque for it. Thank God we had it.”
Club chairman Damien Regan said the value of having a defibrillator had been proven. “It was great that we had it in place and thankfully, we were able to assist him in his time of need.”
Meanwhile, secretary of St Joseph’s, Dan O’Connor, said the man in question is improving and that the importance of having access to a defibrillator had been shown. “He’s comfortable at the moment, although he’s still in hospital. There’s a lot of talk about defibrillators but last weekend, we saw it in action and it was great that it was there. It’s an important piece of equipment to have at every sporting facility,” he noted.