Hospital Visiting Experience
One imagines that when the Winter comes, to use a common
phrase ‘things will settle down’ but that is not the case, at this point in
time anyway. A few weeks ago I read a fine piece on the Sunday Independent by
Rachael Lavin from Balymore in which she talks of the travails with the
establishment of the National Children’s Hospital and her and her family’s
experiences of attending medical clinics in Dublin. Last Tuesday I took a
relative to a clinic in the Mater Public Hospital. We had been there a number of
years ago when the clinic was a decrepit place. This hospital has been revamped
now. I endorse Rachel’s description of the challenges for people travelling
from the country to Dublin hospitals have in terms of traffic, parking
especially and so on. We certainly could have no complaints with regard to the
care, commitment and treatment that my relative received One of the real
hidden issues for those clinics is the ‘no shows’ for appointments. In
the clinic the administrator called out from the list people due to be present
at one particular ‘clinic’ and the number of ‘no shows’ was extraordinary. On
one of the walls a prominently displayed poster read; ‘We were here where were
you?’ Of course the knock-on effects for those who would benefit and the
costs involved are very considerable.
I had to go University College Hospital Galway a couple of
days later for an check on a slight eye issue. One of the first challenges
there was parking as it often is around hospitals. I was there around 12 noon.
I was directed to go through casualty. I waited for a couple of hours and
eventually was admitted into casualty. It was there that I observed the full
panorama of the challenges in this environment. It was like a railway station
at rush hour. The ubiquitous trolley dominated. The shoe box spaces were like
Manhattan real estate in terms of demand. The term ‘excuse me’ dominated
as the nurses and doctors hustled for their space. It was just incredible where
people were required to administer and receive treatment. While those who work
there and can make enough sense of the bedlam to enable them to carry out their
onerous duties, for them and their patients it is so wrong. This will not come
as a surprise to the many people for whom this environment is a regular experience.
Enda Smith
This is a very busy period for Boyle GAA. There has been a
major response to the Cian Smith game on Saturday in the Abbey Park and a
significant crowd is anticipated. As an event it is expected to both emotive
and celebratory. Cian is hugely popular within the club and his cohort of
contemporaries in various areas of his life. He has faced his huge challenges
with great good grace. Ian Cooney captured his essence in an interview with
Cian as published in the Roscommon Herald this week. So if you are in a
position to attend at the Abbey Park on Saturday it would be a nice thing to
do.
Representation on Top Team
Three Boyle players played with DCU in the Third Level
Colleges Senior League against Jordanstown this week--Tadhg Lowe in goals with
Donie and Enda Smith. Well done to all three. It's certainly a
"first" for the Club to have three of our players on a such a star-
studded team. It is nice to Tadhg return to a position where he was a contender
for high levels just a couple of seasons ago and has been required to sacrifice
this for club team benefits. I feel that players are best in the positions they
prefer to play in.
Congrats also to Enda who is attending an awards ceremony in
Dublin tonight where he will be presented with a "Man of the Match"
award which he won in this year's Senior Championship Qualifier win. It is hard
to keep track of the awards in the Smith household.
Boyle GAA’s Fundraiser ‘Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire’
The club has put a major effort into this innovative
fundraiser which will take place on December 6th. The home page of
realboyle has link to a selection of photographs from a publicity launch which
took place on Wednesday night in the club rooms. It is really great to see the
involvement and initiative of new personnel in the various branches of the club.
I am thinking especially, from Wednesday night and this project of Karen Brogan
(McGee). Karen appears to me to have given this and other club GAA projects an
injection of professionalism and impetus with the assistance of the other club
officers and leaders. On Wednesday night there was a test drive for the
show proper with Noel Collins of Elphin in the hot seat. Had I been a more
observant card player I might have been more help to him but it was not too
costly. Still it demonstrated the shows capacity to generate the requisite
balance of entertainment and desire to show one’s best side. Hopefully the
numbers will turn out for the event proper. Tickets are on sale for €15 with
groups of five for €50.
Of Mice and Men
It was a rare unique privilege to have seen the Steinbeck’s
play ‘Of Mice and Men’ in Carrick cinema on Thursday night. For those who might like
to share the experience it is on again on Monday night next. The performances
of both Chris O’Dowd and James Franco were spellbinding. The interval
explanation of the American social backdrop to the work was enlightening. The
vulnerability of Chris’s character Lenny must have been challenging to watch
especially for those close to him. For Chris it is acid test endorsement of his
acting qualities and demonstrates that he can transfer from ‘lighter’ roles.
If I were to nominate a favourite writer overall as opposed
to individual books it would be Steinbeck. His best known work ‘The Grapes of
Wrath’ is monumental with its themes of despair, journey, courage and hope. I
remember years ago reading a lesser book known of Stenibeck’s which became one
of my favourites ‘Travels With Charlee’, Charly being his dog.
Political Landscape
I have tried to avoid mentioning water this week but I have
failed. There is the slight possibility of a Government fall on the issue.
There are a few idioms which might be considered in these circumstances such as
‘Be careful what you wish for’. The landscape of political possibility is very
uncertain and fragmented in this country and an early election could have
chaotic consequences. A certain number of Independent candidates are fine but
there must be a plimsoll line in that respect.
Slán.
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