THE first Clare baby to be born in the University Maternity Hospital Limerick in 2022, was from Shannon, writes Owen Ryan.
Michael Jimmy O’Connell O’Keeffe arrived at 10.47am on January 1, born to mother Treacy O’Connell and father James O’Keeffe.
Speaking to The Clare Champion this week Treacy said she was delighted with her newly arrived son and joked she was making taxi drivers nervous that the delivery would occur in their cars, given her size.
“Most of the taxi drivers around Shannon thought I’d deliver in their cars because I was so big!”
It looked like the little boy, who is called MJ as short for Michael Jimmy, would arrive before the end of 2021.
“They called me in on the 29th to have him, but it didn’t work out then. I went down to the Labour ward about 2.30 in the morning and they induced me, and off I went then,” Treacy laughed.
She came home on January 3 and says she is recovering well from having given birth.
“I’m grand, I’m getting there slowly.”
MJ has a brother, eight-year-old Ryan, and Treacy said she is getting into the swing of having a newborn once again. “Oh God, yeah! It brings it all back to you!”
MJ’s father James was delighted with the arrival of his son, she said.
“He was excited and emotional at the same time, and he cut the cord.”
There are very strict protocols in place for Covid at the Maternity, she says.
“Everyone is getting tested, I think I had four or five Covid tests and they all came back negative, which is good.”