Special delivery in Glasson Garda Station

“We’ll never look at Glasson in the same way again,” mother Orla Egan joked this afternoon, just days after the dramatic late-night birth of her third child in the family car outside Glasson Garda Station.

The drama unfolded after the Keenagh mum and her husband Niall were on their way to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe on Monday night when she realised she was not going to make it, approaching Tubberclair at 11.40pm.

After ringing 999, Niall pulled in close to Glasson Garda Station, and with the aid of a lady called Majella on the other end of the phone line, delivered his third daughter, Síomha Clare (after the parish in which she was born) minutes before midnight.

“She talked me through it. I really want to thank her,” Niall said in Glasson Garda Station today. He also paid tribute to Athlone Gardai Sgt Yvonne Martin and Gda Paul Buckley who arrived within minutes and did so much for them in such dramatic circumstances. He had huge praise too for the ambulance services, who alerted Gardai, and were on the scene quickly to bring the mother and daughter to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe.

“Both births (of her other daughters Laoise and Caoimhe) were fast but we weren’t expecting the third one that fast,” the couple laughed, adding that Síomha’s safe arrival weighing  6lb 8oz is the best Christmas present they could hope for!

For more on this story check out Tuesday’s Westmeath Independent