Celebrating Our Centenary Winter 2017.pdf · LIANA Newsletter Winter 2017 | 1 This special edition...

Leopardstown Park Hospital Board, Foxrock, Dublin 18 XH70.

Tel: 01 295 5055 Fax: 01 295 5957 ISDN: 01 2160500

Email: [email protected]: www.lph.ie

In this Issue

LIANA Newsletter Winter 2017 | 1

This special edition of Liana celebrates 100 years ofLeopardstown Park Hospital. A lot has happenedand there have been many changes since thehospital was founded in 1917 during World War 1.

We hope you enjoy this edition. We have tried to satisfy all ourreaders as best we can with an eclectic mix that encompasses thepast, the present and the future and which includes news, humour,personalities, work and play. We can only guess what LPH will belike in 100 years’ time. Perhaps readers would like to give us theirthoughts on what they think the world will be like in 2117?

Celebrating Our Centenary

Life in a New Age Leopardstown Park Hospital Newsletter

WINTER 2017 Issue 47 Vol 14

Celebrating Our Centenary ………………………1

Greetings from Ann Marie O’Grady, Chief Executive ……………………………………2

Farewell to Nóirín and Rita ………………………3

Farewell from Rita …………………………………4

Farewell from Nóirín ………………………………4

…So it’s Au Revoir from them and Hello from Us …5

Commemoration of the Centenary of the Foundation of Leopardstown Park Hospital ……6

Leopardstown Park Hospital, 1917–2017: A Home for Wounded Soldiers……………………7

Gertrude Dunning: A Woman of Many Names …9

Launch of Leopardstown Park Hospital, 1917–2017: A Home For Wounded Soldiers …10

Chairman’s Centenary Speech, 17 June 2017 10

Address by H.E. Robin Barnett, British Ambassador to Ireland …………………14

Address by Minister Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs ……………………15

Keep the Home Fires Burning …………………16

Farewell to Gerard McEntee ……………………17

The Far-From-Ugly Ducklings …………………18

McEvoy Family Concert …………………………18

Congratulations to our Centenarians …………19

A Quick Hello from Liz, Buster and Sam Cusack20

Computer Swallowed Grandma…………………20

Lest We Forget……………………………………21

With Thanks to Former Matron, Joan O’Neill …22

Royal British Legion (ROI) Annual Ceremony of Remembrance and Wreath Laying …………23

‘Join the Navy and See the World’ ……………24

Medicine for the Older Person …………………25

Through Art, Hope is Never Lost ………………26

Spring………………………………………………27

Music Therapy ……………………………………28

The Story of the Limerick – In Memory of John Crisp…………………………29

The Sheikh’s Will – A Lesson on Solving Problems …………………30

Condolences………………………………………31

Dates for your Diary………………………………32

LPH NEWS

| LIANA Newsletter Winter 20172

Greetings from Ann MarieO’Grady, Chief Executive

They say that the sign of cranes is a sign ofprogress and a healthy economy and certainlyLeopardstown Park Hospital is headingpositively towards that at this time. As is wellknown our old buildings are not suitable forsupporting the modern delivery of care forolder persons, particularly for ensuring thateach individual has the necessary privacy anddignity that all of us would want. So we are ona journey to improve our physicalsurroundings which will enhance the care weare already delivering.

So what's happening now and next?We are currently carrying out some works onour large open plan nightingale units(Kiltiernan, Kilgobbin, Tibradden &Enniskerry). We have reduced the number ofbeds in these units by 16, giving greater spacefor our residents and allowing the creation ofsome quiet areas for residents and theirfamilies to make use. In addition, significantworks have been carried out in Djouce unit,significantly improving the bathroom area forresidents.

At the same time we have been working hardto plan for a new hospital. The LeopardstownPark Hospital Trust commissioned a planningprocess called a Protective DevelopmentControl Plan (PDCP) to look at the Hospitalsite, how and where a new Hospital might bedelivered, and to get a high level view of sizeand layout of a new Hospital, as well as howto best utilise the site as a whole. The teamworking on this have included LPH Trust, LPHBoard, LPH Management and HSE Estates,as well as a broad range of professionals aspart of the architect led design team. As partof this process we have already entered intoinitial preplanning meetings with DunLaoghaire Rathdown County Council. ThisPDCP has now been finalised. The PDCPallows for the option in the future of expandingthe capacity of the Hospital up to 250 beds, ifthe requirement and funding is available.

Engagement has taken place in Septemberwith the HSE in relation to progressing thereplacement of the Hospital. It has been jointlyidentified that Phase 1 will look to replace 125beds with compliant modern, single roomaccommodation. A high level plan for this hasbeen developed and we are expecting tocommence the formal design phase in thenear future.

(Photo credit: Karl Hussey)

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So very busy and exciting times. However Iknow that some residents have expressedconcern regarding moving to single roomaccommodation and the primary reason forthis is a fear of isolation. It will be reallyimportant, as part of all these physicalchanges to our buildings, that we provideprivacy and dignity but don't cause socialisolation as a result. It is important thatresidents can have choice of when they want

to engage with others and when they wantmore privacy. I can assure you that this is veryhigh in all our considerations.

We look forward to working with residents’families and staff to really improve ourphysical infrastructure which will make asignificant difference to all those who receiveour services. It's great to dream big and be ina position to achieve that. Exciting times!

On 11 April 2017, we gathered to say a sadfarewell and a very grateful thank you toNoirín Scully and Rita Conroy. For manyyears, the ladies have been magnificent intheir dedication to the hospital, the staff andthe residents. They are known mostparticularly as the efficient and gifted editors ofthe in-house newsletter, Liana. No surprisethen that their farewell party was filled withlaughter, tears, reminiscences and cake.

No matter what life throws at them, Noirín and

Rita are always in good humour and they arealways full of compassion for others. Theirinterest in life and all that it holds is aninspiration to all of us.

In their speeches, CEO Ann Marie andEugene Magee gave glowing tributes, thankedthe ladies profusely and presented them withframed pictures of LPH. Rita’s husband, Stan,was photographer on the day. To Stan too, weall say a profound ‘thank you’ for all the workhe has done with Liana over the years.

Farewell to Nóirín and RitaBy Lorraine McWilliams

Photo credit: Stan Conroy

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After 15 years, on April 11th 2017, we said“Goodbye” to compiling and editing LianaNewsletter.

A time of very mixed emotions. We were sad torelinquish it, but very happy to hand it over tothe very capable hands of Lorraine and PeteMcWilliams. They will, I am sure, produce aneven better newsletter reflecting the life andtimes of Leopardstown Park Hospital.

During our 15 years we were very privileged tohave residents share their life stories with us.The Johnny Wetherall story, the articles fromTom Harmon, the poignant wartimeexperiences of Dr. Mayne and many more.

We appreciated the regular submissions fromGeoffrey Medcalf relating to the VeteransSupport Group. The late Frankie Hennell’sjokes and quiz corner. Frank McGrath (IrishTimes journalist) made us laugh at the anticsof “Pete Briquette”, his cat. The flying higharticles from Ted Jones and many morepeople who gave us their time and allowed ushave stories of human interest to publish.

Additionally we covered Christmas festivities,band concerts (by the superb Army No.1Band), Garden parties and Garden Fetes andmany other events.

We owe thanks to so many people. To all thestaff whose profiles were featured. To thosestaff who gave us leads into stories of theresidents and encouraged those residents toshare their story with us, i.e. – Liz Cusack(Clevis), Margaret Hegarty (Day CareManager), Ger Lee, ward staff, physio staff,catering staff to name but a few.

I mentioned to Lorraine that I feel quite jealousof her and her husband’s new role. While I amin the Coffee Dock on Saturdays I chat to a lotof people. As we talk I recognise a story that’sthere for the telling. This could be said of all ofus!

Many thanks to the Chairman, EugeneMagee, Ann Marie O’Grady, CEO and GerLee, Administrator for making our “Farewell”so memorable. We hope to keep in touch formany more years.

Farewell from RitaBy Rita Conroy

When my friend Rita suggested that I go withher to attend a meeting of volunteers in LPH, Iwasn’t all that enthusiastic. Rita was already afully fledged volunteer and she can be verypersuasive when she wants to be. “Sure youmight as well come along,” she said. “Just tosee what it’s all about.” So I did.

The meeting was held in the concert hallwhich was very well attended. Both PatSmyth, the CEO and Tanya Grandon, theDirector of Nursing spoke about theimportance of volunteers and that there wasan urgent need to increase the numbers. Heidentified the various ways that volunteerscould help and the setting up and running a

hospital newsletter was one of them. Rita andI looked at each other and we decided to havea go. And so Liana was born.

This all happened in the Spring of 2001 andour first issue was launched later that yearwhich consisted of four A4 pages. Graduallywe increased the number of pages which overthe years averaged 24 to 28. We were luckyenough to have the help of Siobhán from PrintBureau, with her magic touch, which turnedour Word document into a professional lookingnewsletter.

Over the years we were very privileged tomeet many wonderful people. Some war

Farewell from NóirínBy Noirín Scully

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veterans with inspiring tales to tell and otherswho in their own words always describedthemselves as an ordinary person living a veryordinary life. However, after a half an hour thereminiscing unlocked the memories of a lifethat was extraordinary.

And so after fifteen years we took a jointdecision to retire and hand over Liana to newblood, namely Pete and Lorraine. We wishthem well and hope they will enjoy the greatcharacters they will meet along the way. Goodluck Pete and Lorraine.

As you know, Noirín Scully and Rita Conroyhave done a magnificent job of running andediting the Liana magazine over the last 15years. They are now taking a well-earned restand have handed over the baton to us.

The Terrific Twosome of Noirín and Rita will bean almost impossible act to follow. They haveleft a legacy of a superb publication that ismassively popular with all readers, staff andresidents alike. So it is a sad ‘au revoir’ to themand a rather nervous hello from us. I say ‘aurevoir’ rather than the finality of farewell,because I’m happy to say that Noirín and Ritawill still be keeping a hand on the tiller. We’ll stillbe seeing a lot of them.

We are on a steep learning curve and underpressure to maintain the quality that Noreen andRita produced. We do have some experience inwriting; both of us having worked as TechnicalAuthors for many years. We also produce theRAF Association Republic of Ireland Branchnewsletter entitled “The Gen Sheet”. We hopethis experience will stand us in good stead. Ofcourse we shall also greatly miss articles fromJohn Crisp, Tom Harmon and Frankie Hennell,all of whom used to be regular contributors.

We have been volunteers at LPH for someyears and have thoroughly enjoyed meetingresidents, staff and families. Both coming frommilitary families, we have a huge respect forveterans. We live down in the depths of Co.Wicklow, so are not at LPH as much as we’dlike. However, we do call in whenever we can.

When we’re not at LPH we are busy with ourother interests: the Veterans’ Support Group,the RAF Association, the local Community FirstResponders, the Tidy Towns Group, the localchurches, community choir and French lessons.Then there’s line-dancing, stained-glass,woodturning and pottery (Lorraine only) andcooking, crosswords and gardening (Pete only).

As you know, the Liana magazine is an in-house magazine. We rely on you to draw ourattention to newsworthy items which will interestthe residents and friends of LPH. We’d love toknow more about your life stories, yourexperiences and your memories – as well asabout your current hobbies and interests. If youfeel up to writing, please just submit the articlesas they are. You can just write or print them outand then ask Paula or Reception to hand themon to us. If you have an idea for an article, butdon’t feel you could write it, then just let us know(via Paula or Reception). We’ll come to talk toyou and do the necessary research and writingfor you. We can’t promise to please all thepeople all of the time. We don’t know anyonewho’s managed that one successfully. However,we’ll certainly do our best.

…So it’s Au Revoir fromthem and Hello from UsBy Pete and Lorraine McWilliams

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On Saturday, 17th June 2017, we celebratedthe centenary of the foundation of LPH. Manymonths of planning had gone into the eventand everyone was hoping for a sunny day. Wewere indeed very fortunate. The sun was“splitting the trees” as Chief Executive, AnnMarie O’Grady, welcomed everyone. Guestsincluded His Excellency, Robin Barnett, BritishAmbassador to Ireland,

Heather Humphreys T.D. (Minister of Arts,Heritage, Regional, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs), Major-General David The O’Morchoeand Archbishop Dr. Diarmuid Martin. The ArmyNo.1 Band and The Band of the Royal IrishRegiment entertained us regally. It was a joynot only to hear the two bands playingtogether, but also to see their directors (Capt.Fergal Carroll and W.O. Richard Douglasrespectively) taking it in turn to direct. Thewarmth of the bands’ cross-border co-operation was plain for all to witness. Themusic was outstanding and the programmeincluded a wide variety of genres. The Pathsto Peace played by the pipers was especiallybeautiful and powerfully moving.

British Ambassador Robin Barnett spokeenthusiastically about special and unique

relationship enjoyed by those involved in therunning of the hospital.

Heather Humphreys T.D. described her delightat the centenary of the hospital. Shecongratulated everyone concerned on thewonderful celebration.

Eugene F. Magee, Chairman of the Board ofLeopardstown Park Hospital, thanked thedignitaries for attending. He congratulatedMinister Heather Humphreys on herreappointment. To conclude, Eugene readseveral excerpts from Dr. Eoin Kinsella’s newbook “Leopardstown Park Hospital, 1917-2017, a Home for Wounded Soldiers”.

Commemoration of the Centenary of the Foundationof Leopardstown Park HospitalBy Lorraine McWilliams

(Photo credit: Karl Hussey)

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Around the middle of the last century, it wasn’tall that unusual to see punters atLeopardstown Racecourse slipping a few bobto the patients of Leopardstown Park Hospital.Easily recognisable in their distinctive‘convalescent blues’ uniform, the hospital’spatients were veterans of the British army, airforce and navy who had fought during the Firstand Second World Wars. The story of howtheir hospital came to be situated inLeopardstown begins with the extraordinarygenerosity of Mrs. Gertrude Dunning.

Born in Cork into the wealthy Catholicmerchant Hayes family in 1856, Gertrude firstarrived at Leopardstown Park as a newlymarried woman in the spring of 1877. Herhusband, James Talbot Power, was one of twobrothers who had inherited the famed Powerswhiskey distillery. James had just boughtLeopardstown Park, well known in the vicinityas a fine country mansion, beautifully situatedand surrounded by about 100 acres ofgrassland. James and Gertrude were adynamic couple who lost no time in makingtheir mark on Dublin’s civic and social scenes.Well known for their philanthropy, particularlyof Catholic charities, the Talbot Powers lived atLeopardstown Park for almost forty years untilJames’s death in July 1916.

Just three months later Gertrude remarried.Her second husband was Bernard Dunning,an Englishman, retired tea planter and oldacquaintance. Their marriage took place in thevillage of Radlett, Hertfordshire. A new life inEngland beckoned, and Gertrude chose togive Leopardstown Park away rather than sellthe estate. As the summer of 1917 drew to aclose, Sir Matthew Nathan, secretary to theBritish Ministry of Pensions, was able todeclare that ‘Mrs. Dunning, the owner ofLeopardstown Park near Dublin, has offeredthat property – a valuable one – as a

permanent gift to the Minister for the use ofdisabled officers and men’.

Those officers and men had, of course, beendisabled during the ongoing First World War.Nathan himself was no stranger to Irish affairs.He had been in Dublin Castle on EasterMonday 1916, the first day of the 1916 Rising,and had been forced to resign as UnderSecretary for Ireland in the immediateaftermath. Nathan had revived his career atthe newly created Ministry of Pensions, whichhad been set up to deal with the hugeincrease in pensions awarded to wounded anddisabled soldiers during the war.

More than 250,000 Irish men joined the Britisharmy during the war, and the new Ministry wasfacing a crisis in Ireland. The image of theshell-shocked soldier is one of the mostpowerful and iconic legacies of the First WorldWar, an enduring symbol of the devastatingeffects of the static nature of trench warfareand of new technologies for killing anddestruction. Yet facilities for the treatment ofshell-shocked soldiers were practically non-existent in Ireland in 1917.

A massive civilian home front effort had createdmore than 100 temporary hospitals around theisland of Ireland to care for the thousands ofmen invalided home from the battlefields of theWestern Front. Several of these hospitals werelocated in South County Dublin – the first oneopened in Ireland had been set up inMonkstown House in October 1914. Otherauxiliary hospitals were established at LindenConvalescent Home, Stillorgan, and TempleHill, Blackrock. The War Office converted theold Meath Industrial School for Boys, located onCarysfort Avenue in Blackrock, into a militaryhospital in 1917. However, virtually no hospitalin Ireland had the expert staff or facilitiesneeded to treat shell shock.

Leopardstown Park Hospital, 1917–2017: A Home for Wounded SoldiersBy Dr. Eoin Kinsella

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Gertrude Dunning’s offer to gift LeopardstownPark to the Ministry of Pensions came not amoment too soon. The house was consideredan ideal location for a new shell-shockhospital, with its isolated location and tranquilsurroundings. Following a brief programme ofworks to adapt the house, Leopardstown Parkwelcomed its first patients in March 1918.

Naturally, there were teething problems. Withthe hospital situated a mile from Stillorganrailway station, the management committeewere obliged to borrow Gertrude’s horse andcart to transport patients to and from the train.Henry McLaughlin, Chairman of the Hospital’smanagement committee, complained that theflooring in one of the wards was ‘exceedinglyslippery and, of course, our patients are allmen in a rather shaky condition’.

Leopardstown Park Hospital had room for just32 patients when it first opened. Within fiveyears there was room for 134 patients,following a major extension and theconversion of the estate’s hay shed into ahostel. That hostel was only intended to beused on a temporary basis – in fact it hasbeen in near continuous use for almost 100years and now houses Djouce ward. If onelooks closely, Djouce ward’s former life as ahay shed can clearly be seen from thedistinctive, triple-barrel roof, which is moretypically found on barns. Money for theserenovations came from the British governmentand a £5,000 donation from the ShamrockFund, which was created from the proceeds ofa charity drive in America between 1916 and1919 for the benefit of disabled Irish warveterans.

The British government’s plans to providemedical care for its war pensioners in Irelandhad been thrown into chaos during the War ofIndependence (1919–1921). Their dilemmawas not eased following the establishment ofthe Irish Free State and the Civil War thatfollowed. By the time the dust had settled,Leopardstown Park was one of just threehospitals in the Free State dedicated to the

treatment of First World War veterans. Itremained the only hospital for shell-shockedmen.

During the 1930s, an average of 250 patientswere treated at Leopardstown Park everyyear, virtually all of whom were Irish. Thoughthe British government anticipated the closureof the hospital by the end of the 1930s, theoutbreak of the Second World War ensured anew wave of war pensioners requiringtreatment.

Under the terms of the Gertrude Dunning’sgift, Leopardstown Park Hospital wasoriginally reserved solely for ex-servicemen ofthe British armed forces. Falling patientnumbers in the 1960s prompted a change inpolicy, and in the 1970s the hospital’s doorswere opened to the wider public. In 1979,even as Anglo-Irish relations worsened in theface of the deteriorating situation in NorthernIreland, responsibility for the management ofthe hospital was successfully transferred fromthe British government to their Irishcounterparts. In the decades since,Leopardstown Park Hospital has become aleading provider of care for older persons inthe South Dublin region.

Leopardstown Park House has seen manychanges and undergone multiple renovationssince it was built in the 1790s, and mostespecially since it was transformed from aprivate residence into a hospital. The physicallayout of the house remains largely the sameas it was when the newly married TalbotPowers began their life together there in 1877.Yet there are precious few reminders of theseformer occupants left in the house or on itsgrounds today. On a large stone, locatedbehind the decorative fountain just inside thehospital’s gate, one will find an inscription thatis faded to near illegibility. The inscription onthe 1897 commemorative stone presented toJames Talbot Power has faded to nearillegibility. It reads:

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[…]Presented to James Talbot Power, Esq.,

D.L.,By

Commander, […] & CrewOf

Irish Lights SteamerTearaght

As A Memento Of25th June 1897

Nor is there any indication of the hospital’sorigins in the First World War. A plaquecommemorating Countess Kingston’sfundraising efforts in the U.S. on behalf of thehospital, erected on the walls of Djouce wardin 1920, has been mislaid. During essentialworks both to upgrade the hospital’s servicesand the locality’s transportation facilities in thelate 1990s and early 2000s, the estate’sornamental lake, gate lodge, gardener’scottage and the majority of the formal gardens

were demolished. Imposing sections of thegarden walls and the gates that led to thegardens and lake still remain, however,reminders of the stately grandeur that greetedthe shell-shocked men who first arrived at thehospital in 1918 are limited.

The medical infrastructure built atLeopardstown Park in the 1920s, 1940s and1950s will soon be demolished to make wayfor a new, modern hospital. LeopardstownPark House will, however, endure. Togetherwith the paddock stables, it is now listedamong Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown CountyCouncil’s protected structures. Given that thevery first patients to attend Leopardstown ParkHospital were quartered in the main house,this seems entirely appropriate. The hospital’sboardroom, named for Gertrude Dunning, isalso currently located within the main house.Dunning’s portrait hangs above the room’sfireplace, a constant reminder that, without hergenerosity, Leopardstown Park would neverhave begun a new life as a home for woundedsoldiers, sailors and airmen.

Gertrude Frances Hayes was born in Cork in1856. At the age of 21 she married JamesTalbot Power, and became known as GertrudeTalbot Power. Her husband inherited the titleof Baron of Edermine in 1914, which hassometimes given rise to the belief thatGertrude was thereafter referred to as LadyGertrude Talbot Power – in fact she neverused that title. After her second marriage in1916, she became Gertrude Dunning. It wasunder this name that she gifted LeopardstownPark to the Trustees appointed by the BritishMinistry of Pensions. Leopardstown ParkHospital’s benefactor was Gertrude Dunning.Contrary to popular belief, she was neverknown as Lady Gertrude Power Dunning!

Gertrude Dunning: A Woman of Many Names

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On 17 June 2017 the hospital marked itscentenary with a concert and the launch ofLeopardstown Park Hospital, 1917–2017: AHome For Wounded Soldiers, written byhistorian Eoin Kinsella. It is available frombranches of Dubray Books and all localbookstores, online, or directly from thehospital.

About the AuthorDr. Eoin Kinsella graduated with a PhD in Irishhistory from University College Dublin, and isa former Irish Research Council PostdoctoralFellow. He has published on various aspectsof Irish history, ranging from the seventeenthcentury to the present day. He currentlyspecialises in commemorative history and hasworked as a public historian and consultantwith the Royal Irish Academy, the Departmentof the Taoiseach, the National Archives ofIreland, the National Print Museum, the

Central Bank of Ireland, RTÉ and theCommissioners of Irish Lights. He lives inChurchtown and is a member of

Launch of Leopardstown Park Hospital, 1917–2017: A Home For Wounded Soldiers

Madam Minister, Heather Humphreys, YourExcellency Robin Barnett, Ambassador of theUnited Kingdom, Your Grace Archbishop ofDublin, Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire,Brigadier General Howard Berney, our goodfriend Colonel Max Walker and Ladies andGentlemen, you are all very welcome here thisafternoon to help us celebrate our centenary. IfI can especially welcome two great friends ofthe hospital, Commander Frank Turvey, a longtime Board member and Brigadier GeneralThe O’Morchoe, a previous Trustee.

Before I go any further I want to thank frombottom of my heart the following people, my

Chairman’s CentenarySpeech, 17 June 2017By Eugene F. Magee

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fellow Board members all of whom are herethis afternoon, for their encouragement inpreparing for today. I also want to thank AnnMarie O’Grady, CEO, Adrian Ahern, Director ofNursing and Ger Lee at the office the CEOand Chairman, without whom none of thiswould have happened. The meticulous careand attention that went in today’sarrangements was quite superb and so far itseems to have worked.

I would also to thank all of our staff presentand those working in the wards, as we enjoyourselves in the sun. The enthusiasm withwhich they all grasped the idea of celebratingour centenary was very encouraging andhopefully rewarding for them too because theysee clearly that they are following 100 years ofhigh quality care and attention to those whogreatly need it.

Also I would like to thank in advance ourcatering staff who will be providingrefreshments later on.

I offer particular thanks to members of An GardaSíochana under the direction of Inspector PatFlynn who have been very attentive toeverything we are doing here today. We havehad certain concerns, the biggest singleconcern for me and one which caused manysleepless nights for 4 months is the weatherand plan B was hardly a possibility. All theprayers I and hope you have said have beenanswered. Inspector Flynn had an uncle by thename of Brown, who died in the second battle ofLoos as a young man from Mayo and is buriedin Loos cemetery where Pat has visited inrecent times, an interesting coincidence. Afurther one incidentally which I only learnt today,the Archbishop of Dublin’s uncle fought atGallipoli and, as a veteran, spent the end of hislife here at Leopardstown Park Hospital. Soconnections go deep and far into Irish society inthis place.

When we came to talking about celebratingthis centenary we had modest enough

aspirations quite frankly. One was to have thiscelebration, which has proven I hope to be agreat success, and the second one was to endany further speculation with regard to thehistory of this place by commissioning ahistory which it is my great pleasure to launchas I speak to you. I am reminded a bit of theDuke of Edinburgh, whose quotations theygave on his recent retirement “I declare thisopen whatever it is”. I declare this booklaunched. We were absolutely blessed, I cantell you, in managing to recruit the historian Dr.Eoin Kinsella to write the history for us. Hehas produced, and I hope you enjoy, a greatvolume recording accurately what we knowabout the hospital. I was a bit of an historianmyself earlier in my life and I was shocked bythe lack of sources that there are in anorganisation like this. There was no greatregard for historical sourcing and sources overthe last century, and I refer in my foreword inthe book to a bit of national amnesia aroundissues concerning the First World Warparticularly. The history is available and Eoinis here and will be signing copies of the bookafter the celebrations this afternoon and thebook can be purchased and stronglyrecommend to any of you who haveassociations with the hospital.

We decided as well to mark an historicaloccasion with an historical occasion that is themerging of the bands of the Royal IrishRegiment and our own No. 1 Band of the IrishDefence Forces. Captain Fergal Carroll is avisitor here with his band twice a year toentertain our residents at Christmas and againin the summer and, in fact, it was at this verygathering roughly this day last year that wedecided that we would use the occasion tomark the centenary. And I remember sittingdown there, where I was earlier, and watchingthe biggest black cloud over Ticknock headingtowards us on an otherwise bright and sunnyday and I am glad to say the cloud hasn’tappeared today. It is wonderful to be joinedtoday by Band Master Richard Douglas andthe Band of the Royal Irish Regiment and this

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historical merging of these musical talents it issort of bands across the border story if youwish.

At the time of 100 years it is obviously theright thing to do to reflect on our past. And ourpast starts with what I refer to in the forewordof the book as a patriotic young Irish womanfrom Cork whose family name was Hayes (Iam of the opinion that she probably wouldn’trecognise the term the Rebel County as herplace of origin). But nevertheless she camehere to live and at a certain point in her lifegave the house and 100 acres of land to theMinistry for Pensions as a home for returningsoldiers, of whom there were thousands in1917, here at Leopardstown Park. There weremany such hospitals around the south ofDublin and indeed the north of Dublin too. We,I think, are the only one which survivedthrough all of that and it’s a great credit to thefounder, to the medical staff for 100 years, toour nursing and carers, grounds staff andadministrators right up to today. At the time itwas 100 acres but it is now down to 26 acresand you see how beautifully it is maintained.Our residents are the centre piece ofeverything we do here, it is our objective at alltimes to make this place a happy, warm andloving environment for people, particularlytowards the later stages of their lives.

For the first 60 years of our history the housewas run directly by the Ministry for Pensions inthe United Kingdom Government aided andhelped at all times by the Leopardstown ParkHospital Trustees. I would like to pay creditand tribute to our current Trustees who havebeen unfailingly helpful to us on the Board inmanaging the asset that we have here inthese difficult times for us. And I would alsolike to pay tribute to the earlier Boards of theHospital. The Hospital was established on footof an Establishment Order in 1979 under thedirection of Minister for Health at the time, Mr.Charles Haughey, and there have been 7boards since of which ours is the 8th and I amthe 8th Chairman. Today is a great pleasure

for us because we normally swim in theturbulent confluence of the Department ofHealth, HIQA and the HSE but today we areable to stay calm and reflective in thecomfortable surroundings of the newDepartment of Culture. Let me be the first tocongratulate Heather Humphreys, theMinister, on her re-appointment toGovernment and particularly from ourperspective at this point in time in her re-appointment to the Department of Culture.

Let me just refer for a moment to the book byreading a little;

Gertrude’s generosity facilitated thehosting of a school fete for the children ofLoreto School, St. Stephens Green on thegrounds of Leopardstown Park in 1893.The Fete was arranged by the Fresh AirAssociation whose mission was to providecountryside excursions for the underprivileged Catholic children of Dublin’sinner city. Leopardstown Park’s splendidgrounds, offered an idyllic setting. 500children gathered at Harcourt Streetrailway station where a special trainprovided by the Dublin Wicklow Wexfordrailway company awaited them, departingat 11.45am. After their arrival at StillorganStation the Artane Band accompaniedthem to Leopardstown Park where theweather unfortunately took a turn for theworse, nonetheless the trees on thegrounds provided ample shelter andswings were improvised to amuse thechildren for several hours, with Gertrudearranging tea, milk and sandwiches forthe occasion.

I was looking at the trees earlier in the weekand I wondered how many of you could beswinging off them if we were in the rain here,which luckily it hasn’t arisen. There wasanother nice piece about a band where theysaid a military band would be too expensiveso they had a Swiss band, “a small band ofmusic is desirable, on previous occasions we

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had a Swiss village band only cost £2 andexpenses, a military band is rather too muchunless for a very special night” today is clearlya very special day.

I will finish by saying that our pride atLeopardstown Park Hospital is to run a happyhouse, a happy home, a place of comfort andattention and we have never failed in thatthanks very much to our dedicated nursingstaff, our dedicated caring staff and we haveunfailingly happy residents. There is a piece inthe book towards the end, as is the case withso many Irishmen who fought in the FirstWorld War, the life stories of the vast majorityof these men have largely gone unrecorded.Brief biographies of three of the men whopassed through Leopardstown Park Hospitalwere, however, reconstructed in advance of arededication ceremony.

Patrick Newman from Gloucester Street,Dublin, enlisted in the Border regiment in 1916when just 16 years old. During the Battle ofPasschendaele in August 1917 a piece ofshrapnel from a shell struck Newman andembedded in his skull, resulting in a severewound and his discharge from the army. Hedied in October 1982, aged 83, in thisHospital.

Patrick Darley enlisted in the Royal DublinFusiliers in August 1916 and served in Franceand Belgium. He was taken prisoner on 21March 1918 and interned in a POW camp inGermany until he was released following theArmistice. He died in November 1973, aged83.

Finally Minister, this is one you will like, PatrickJoseph O’Rourke from Carrickmacross,County Monaghan, enlisted in the Royal ArmyMedical Corps in 1899. He served during boththe Boer War and the First World War. Duringa retreat from Mons in 1914 he wasmentioned in despatches for his gallantactions in collecting wounded men underheavy fire and saving their lives. He later

served in Mesopotamia, was mentioned indespatches twice more and awarded aMeritorious Service Medal. After the war hereturned to Ireland to live in Belfast andmoved to Dublin. He died here in December1970, aged 88.

So our record in maintaining a quality of life incomfortable, pleasant and happy surroundingsis still our most important objective.

At a point in history where we finish 100 years,we in the Board and Management of thisHospital are looking forward to the nexthundred. We have a vision, “I have a dream”for the next century, its more than a dream atthis point, we are in the Capital programme for2020 for an initial grant to help us initiate thebuilding of a state of the art 200 bed facility forthe long term care of the elderly. That willhappen on this site. We are having greatcollaboration from the Trustees in dealing withsite issues and so on and it is our dream, ourdream. I would also like to address my finalwords to members of the Veteranorganisations of whom there are many aroundthe country. We have a situation arising fromthe 1979 Establishment Order where veteransof Her Majesty’s forces are entitled topreferred admission to this Hospital in theevent of them requiring care. We don’t haveany method of advertising to them to let themknow, so I just appeal to those of you who areinvolved in any sort of veteran organisation tomake it known that we are here, that the sunalways shines, that people always smile andthat their veterans will be lovingly and wellcared for in an atmosphere that I am sure theywill find conducive.

Having said all that I would now like tointroduce His Excellency, the BritishAmbassador, Robin Barnett.

LPH NEWS


At the start of this decade, back in 2012, theUnited Kingdom and Ireland agreed that thisperiod of commemorations would offer us anopportunity to explore and reflect on keyepisodes of our past. And we agreed to do soin a spirit of historical accuracy, mutualrespect, inclusiveness and reconciliation.

This was clearly achieved during last year’sevents that commemorated the Easter Rising andThe Somme and has continued this year withcommemorations by Their Royal Highnesses thePrince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall atGlasnevin Cemetery and a most remarkableand truly joint commemoration of the Battle ofMessines in Flanders.

I would like to again congratulate MinisterHumphreys, her department and the Irishgovernment for the inclusive manner in whichcommemorations have been, and continue tobe, delivered.

Many of the events we have commemoratedover the last five years have centred, quiterightly, on those who lost their lives. This yearwe mark the history of a hospital that wasestablished to deal with those who survivedthe horrors of the First World War.

The gift of Leopardstown Park by GertrudeDunning in October 1917 and theestablishment of a hospital by the BritishMinistry of Pensions was prompted by theoverwhelming need of Irish soldiers who werephysically and mentally wounded in battlessuch as The Somme, Messines and Gallipoli.

That the hospital still continues to provideoutstanding care to those who have served inthe United Kingdom’s Armed Forces,alongside members of the population whohave never experienced military service, saystwo things to me.

Firstly, it speaks volumes of all the verydedicated people who make LeopardstownPark Hospital such a respected and much lovedinstitution. And I would like to thank on behalf ofthe United Kingdom: the Irish Government,most notably the Department of Health and theHealth Service Executive; the hospital Board ofManagement, led by the Chairman, Mr. EugeneMagee; the hospital senior management teamand all the staff led by the CEO, Ms. Ann MarieO’Grady; the Volunteers, including the VeteransSupport Group; and last, but no means least,the trustees, led by their Chairman, Mr. LarryWalsh.

And secondly, Leopardstown Park Hospitalprovides yet another great example of thespecial and unique connection between ourtwo countries.

I also wish to congratulate all those who madethe centenary celebration such a resoundingsuccess, in particular the Defence ForcesArmy No.1 Band and the Band of the RoyalIrish Regiment. Their wonderful musicalextravaganza provided another great exampleof cooperation between our two countries.

I know there are more centenarycommemorations to come and I look forward,deeply sensitive to the complex nature of ourhistorical relationship, proud of the warmrelationship as equal partners and friends thatwe enjoy today and determined that ourrelationship should prosper into the future.

Address by H.E. Robin Barnett, BritishAmbassador to IrelandBy H.E. Robin Barnett

LPH NEWS


To the wounded and exhausted soldiers whoreturned home from the battlefields of WorldWar 1, Leopardstown Park Hospital was aplace of solace and refuge. They came homewith life-altering physical injuries and thepsychological scars of their experiences in thetrenches. Leopardstown Park was one of over100 voluntary hospitals established between1914 and 1918 to help to meet their needs.Today, we also remember and pay tribute tothe medical and nursing staff of the hospital,who treated the disabled soldiers with suchcompassion, kindness and dignity.

Today's ceremony is set in the context ofsignificant State commemorations this year athome and abroad to mark the key events ofthe First World War in 1917. Almost everycommunity on the island of Ireland wasaffected by these transforming events. TheDecade of Centenaries has provided anopportunity to remember those who foughtand died and to reflect upon the complexnarratives surrounding Ireland's participationin that War.

By promoting commemorations that areinclusive and authentic and that seek tostrengthen peace and reconciliation on theisland of Ireland, we promote a deeperexploration of differing perspectives on ourshared history. We have developed a matureawareness of the context of the time, which isrespectful of alternative perspectives. In doingso, we have continued our journey towards asociety which is more understanding of ourtroubled past.

Address by Minister Humphreys,Minister for Arts,Heritage, Regional, Ruraland Gaeltacht AffairsBy Minister Heather Humphreys

LPH NEWS


Well, when we heard that there was to be amusical show to celebrate LPH’s centenary –including a message from Vera Lynn – ourhopes and expectations naturally wentthrough the roof. We were not disappointed!

On Monday, 19th June, the “Not Forgotten

Association” arranged for entertainers to comeover from UK to give us a very specialrendition of our favourite WW1 songs. We hada ball! Very many thanks indeed to PamAlexander who arranged the whole thing andwho was the liaison person between the NotForgotten Society and LPH.

Keep the Home Fires BurningBy Lorraine McWilliams

Don Mooney, Georgina Goodison, John Hewitson

Paula Carraher with May Hennell (RIP). May remembered nearly allthe songs and had a wonderful night.

Jackie Simmonds with Stella Hill

LPH NEWS


The entertainers were Mickie Driver, KayCarman, Lloyd Ellery and Jackie Simmondsand the show they presented that day wentunder the heading “Keep the Home FiresBurning”. Mickie, Kay, Lloyd and Jackie keptus enthralled. They were extremely talentedperformers, each with a special part to play. Allwere adept singers and dancers. Quicklygoing from one song to the next, they led usthrough sadness, elation, romance andhumour. Among many other songs, they sang:

• Keep the Home Fires Burning• Whiter than the whitewash

• Here we are again• Oh what a lovely war!• Dear old pals

The afternoon was over far too quickly, but weeach went our way humming and singingsongs we thought we had long forgotten.

NB: The Not Forgotten Association is aunique national tri-service charity whichprovides entertainment and recreation for thebenefit of the serving wounded, injured or sickand for ex-service men and women.

In April 2017, we said farewell to GerardMcEntee. His legacy will live long after hisdeparture from LPH.

Gerard graduated from the Central School ofNursing in Belfast in 1984 as a RegisteredMental Nurse and Registered General Nurse(RGN) in 1987. He worked as an RGN from1984 to 1989 in various hospitals followed byfour years as a Community Psychiatric Nursewhen he became a Service Manager in afacility for Older Person Services inBirmingham in 2007. In 2009, Gerard came toLPH as Assistant Director of Nursing andacted as Director of Nursing between ElaineFlanagan leaving and the arrival of AdrianAhern.

In his speech, Adrian Ahern, Director ofNursing said that Gerard had been a majorforce for change in LPH and had constantlylooked for ways to improve the services inLPH. Gerard had worked on fostering linksbetween LPH and St Vincent’s and StMichael’s. Nursing was Gerard’s greateststrength and focus and he always kept thenursing agenda to the fore.

Elaine Flanagan spoke at length on Gerard’sachievements and on their working

relationships during their times at LPH. Mostimportantly, there was a shared understandingof the professionalism and maturity required inthe working relationship to make the quality ofservice at LPH as high as possible. Elainecredited Gerard with major improvements andinnovations such as the rehab unit, airpurifying systems, policies, procedures andprotocols. On a lighter note, they shared amutual liking for Earl Grey tea and Jameson’swhiskey. She concluded by suggesting thatGerard pick an old oak tree in the grounds onwhich she would tie a yellow ribbon because“he had done his time and was coming home”.

On behalf of LPH, Adrian Ahern, Director ofNursing, presented Gerard with a painting ofthe Hospital.

Farewell to Gerard McEnteeBy Pete McWilliams

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June and July were exciting months for us.Thanks to Paula Carraher and her team wewere able to witness first-hand the miracle ofnew life. On 11th June, Paula installed anincubation unit in the Glencullen Day Room andinto the incubation unit, she placed some duckeggs. Paula’s message read “Please have noconcerns about their well-being, despite all therumours of people looking for oranges, theducklings will be going to a suitable farm inWicklow where they will be well looked after andfree to go where they will. The incubator movesthe eggs just as the mother would and has thecorrect temperature and humidity. We hadgreat fun organising collecting the eggs whichDeclan (Head Driver) did.”

Over the coming weeks and days, we allwatched with a mixture of excitement andanxiety. Would everything be OK? As the due

date of 7th July approached, we were alldelighted to hear that the ducklings hatchedperfectly. They are all different shapes, sizesand colours. In what seemed no time at all, theywere quacking about the place and makingthemselves at home. Each has a particular‘personality’ and has been named accordingly.

The Far-From-Ugly Ducklings

Having been fortunate enough to attend the lasttwo McEvoy Family concerts, our nerves weretingling with anticipation on Thurs 9th February.Our hopes were realised! Again, we enjoyed afabulous show from Eleanor McEvoy and hersister Marion - together with Marion’s sonPatrick and his wife Emma. We are trulyblessed to have such a gifted family associatedwith Leopardstown Park Hospital. Mr. RichardMcEvoy, resident of the Clevis, should be veryproud of his talented family. Indeed, it was thehighlight of the evening when Richard joined inwith the rest of the family for a rendition of “OnTop of Old Smokey”.

Together we went through many old favourites,including: “I’ll tell my Ma when I go home”, “TheTown I Loved So Well” and “Three lovely lassiesfrom Bannion”. Eleanor then dedicated one ofher most famous songs - “Only a Woman’sHeart” to a lady loved by one and all – Liz in theClevis. Liz is hugely compassionate, caring andprofessional – and these qualities are matchedonly by her modesty.

Another favourite moment was when Mr. Norris Murphy from the Clevis joined inwith his bodhrán!

McEvoy Family Concert

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19

Carmel Hughes celebrated her centenary on24th July 2016. A memorable garden party wasenjoyed by family, relations, friends andneighbours, and the ‘cheque’ arrived from Arasan Uachtarain! A family photograph of Carmel,her four children and six grandchildren, theirspouses and five great-grandchildren capturesthe joy and is a precious memory of the day.

A native of Galway city and one of nine siblingsof the Curran family, Carmel’s happy memoriesinclude rowing on the Corrib at University Road,playing tennis and later, some golf andattending St. Louis School, Balla, Co Mayo.

Carmel and the Hughes family have lived forsixty-five years in Churchtown, which at the timewas a new suburb of South Dublin. In additionto lovingly caring for her family, she has helpedwith meals on wheels and the church cleaningteam. She enjoyed her bridge in De la SalleCollege and the Grange Golf Club and walkingin the surrounding parks to keep active. Herhusband, Desmond, died over thirty years agoand Carmel’s son Niall has been her principalcarer during her illness over the past ten years.

Carmel’s family are very appreciative for hervisits to the Carman Centre and for her manyrespite stays in Leopardstown Park Hospital.“The wonderful care and attention given to Mumis outstanding and so supportive to us as afamily”. She has become known for her singingwhich can be heard by day and by night! Sheenjoyed the 100th party so kindly organised byall in the Carman Centre along with birthdaycake, flowers and photos.

Her doctors, nurses and carers have all playedtheir roles in looking after her health and welfareto the highest standards, for which Brian, Niall,Fr. Eoin andCaroline are mostgrateful. In particularthe Hughes wouldlike to acknowledgethe wonderful careand attention givento their Mum in theCarman Centre onall those Tuesdaysover the past eightyears.

Congratulations to our Centenarians

The celebrations continue! Theresa alsocelebrated her 100th birthday this year. Here’sa lovely photo of her with her family.

Leo Caffrey from the Clevis also celebratedhis 100th. Happy birthday, Leo! Leo evenreceived a communication from H.M. QueenElizabeth II!

We believe that congratulations are due toAnne McGarry of Tibradden Ward who alsocelebrated her 100th birthday. Happy birthdayTherese, Leo and Anne!

LIANA Newsletter Winter 2017 |

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As you know, Liz Cusack is the Manager ofthe Clevis and certainly one of the mostadored members of LPH staff.

Some years ago, Liz studied psychology atUCD. She later went on to use all the skillsshe had learned, and more besides, doingvoluntary work in an orphanage in Romania.Liz remembers her years in Romania fondly.She forged great bonds with the othervolunteers and great relationships with thechildren she met. Last year, she had thepleasure of returning to Romania to catch upwith the children she once cared for. Nowgrown-up, they were thrilled to see Liz and therest of the volunteers again.

When she returned to Ireland from Romania,Liz tried a couple of jobs in Dublin beforefinding her real home – the Clevis atLeopardstown Park Hospital in 2006. Sheloves the personal nature of the job andgenuinely feels that the staff and residentsbond as a family. She praises her entire teamat the Clevis and knows she couldn’t do thejob without them as they all ensure that theClevis remains resident focussed. If there is aparticular job to be done, everyone pitches into help. Naturally, Liz is sad if any of theresidents becomes ill. There are some thingsshe simply cannot fix!

Is Liz anxious about the planned changes atLPH? Not at all! She says that “the Clevis willremain the Clevis wherever it is” (even in abrand new building).

Liz’s other great love in life is her dogs –Buster and Sam – who became part of thefamily when Liz’s brother brought them homefrom USA with him. The two dogs areinseparable, but have quite different natures.Buster is bouncy, super-friendly, lovesswimming and ADORES tennis balls. Sam onthe other hand is lazy and grumpy – and caneven pretend to be a bit stupid when she

doesn’t want to do something! Given theiradvancing years, the dogs don’t walk as muchas they used to. Liz takes them by car down toGreystones where they can stroll along thebeach or swim in the harbour.

A Quick Hello from Liz,Buster and Sam Cusack

Computer Swallowed Grandma(Credit and thanks to Valerie Waite © 2004 forallowing free use)

The computer swallowed grandma,Yes, honestly it's true.She pressed "control" and "enter"And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,The thought just makes me squirm.She must have caught a virusOr been eaten by a worm.

I've searched through the recycle binand files of every kind:I've even used the Internet,but nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked JeevesMy searches to refine.The reply from him was negative,Not a thing was found "online".

So, if inside your "Inbox",My Grandma you should see,Please scan, copy and paste her in an email back to me.

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For many people it is hard to grasp that thehorrors of World War 2 were committedrelatively recently. Indeed each of our WW2veterans has an extraordinary story torecount. If we are to avoid a recurrence of thehorrors, it is imperative that veterans’experiences and memories be passed on tofuture generations.

Albert Sutton is well known to the staff andresidents of LPH. He takes an active interestin events and often calls in for a chat or toparticipate in the veterans’ “afternoon teas”.Albert served in the Royal Air Force during thewar and last year he was awarded the Légiond’Honneur - France’s highest decoration.

On 19 May 2017, Albert was invited to theresidence of the His Excellency M. Thébault,French Ambassador to Ireland. There heparticipated in the official launching of theSociety of Members of the Legion d’HonneurChapter in Ireland. The Ambassador,welcomed Albert and introduced him toGeneral Gobillard, President of the Society.Albert was accompanied by Mr. AlanHarrisson, LPH volunteer and President of theRoyal Air Forces Association.

Albert went ashore as part of the D-daylandings and was assigned a special roleensuring that aircraft involved in operationsagainst enemy tanks were fully serviceableand fitted with, what was then new, weaponsfor use against tanks. He later participated inthe liberation of Belsen Concentration Camp.The horrors he witnessed at Belsen left alifelong impression on Albert and he now visitsschools to tell children about his experiencesand what he saw. He is determined that theyounger generations should know whathappened and, more importantly, to try toensure it never happens again. Well done,Albert. We salute you!

As recognition of his work in raising awarenessof the Holocaust, the Holocaust Education Trustof Ireland (HETI) recently announced that itwas launching a scholarship in Albert’s name.The letter read “In recognition of yourcommitment to Holocaust remembrance inIreland, the Board of Trustees has establisheda scholarship in your name. It will be awardedannually in perpetuity to a deserving candidatefrom the Irish Defence Forces or An GardaSiochána.” We’d all like to add our respect andthanks, Albert. Well done!

Lest We ForgetBy Pete McWilliams

President Michael D. Higgins, Mr. Albert Sutton, WWII veteran, Mr. Tomi Reichental, Holocaust survivor, & Mrs. Suzi Diamond, Holocaustsurvivor. Credit: Tommy Clancy, courtesy of Holocaust Education Trust Ireland

LPH NEWS


When I first visited LPH, some 15 years agonow, I was fortunate enough to meet JoanO’Neill. Immediately I was struck by Joan’swarmth of character, her smile and her love ofthe Hospital and everyone in it. As Joan’sstory unfolded, it became clear to me whyeveryone loves her too.

Joan was born Joan Oates on a small farm inthe parish of Annaduff almost on the border ofLeitrim and Roscommon. She started hereducation at the local National School, but forher secondary education she had to stay at aboarding school in Longford. Joan remembersher childhood fondly. However, it was hard tomake a living on the small farm, so neither shenor her siblings stayed in the area. Eventuallyher parents sold the farm and moved into thevillage Dromod.

From an early age, Joan had wanted to be ateacher. However, circumstances dictated thatshe go into nursing instead. She waspleasantly surprised to find that she reallyenjoyed nursing. For four years, she studied atThe Richmond (now Beaumont Hospital).From there she moved on to the Coombe andthen the Fever Hospital in Cherry Orchard. Inthose days, a woman who married was notallowed to take up or keep a permanentposition at work, so when Joan married PaddyO’Neill in 1963, she had to be content withcontract work. She specialised in the care ofthe elderly. In her spare time, Joan enjoyedswimming, hill-walking and reading.

In 1972, the rules changed and Joan wasonce again allowed to apply for permanentpositions. In 1980, she was appointed by theLocal Appointments Commission to the role ofAssistant Matron at St. Mary’s and she spent11 years there. In 1985, Joan was awarded aFellowship by the Council of Europe to visitSweden and the Netherlands to see howelderly people in those countries were cared

for. Altogether, she spent one month away andshe saw how money was spent on homecarein the community rather than in hospital. Onher return to work, Joan put her new-foundknowledge into effect, particularly for the‘confused elderly’.

When Joan first arrived at LPH, sheimmediately felt it was a lovely hospital. Theatmosphere was warm and friendly and all theconfident and competent nurses werebeautifully turned out. Joan said that thebiggest advantage was that LPH had its ownambulances. There were 110 residents at thetime (before the Glen wards were built or theresidents of the Clevis added). Joan creditsher fellow team members with much of thesuccess of the changes they introduced.Assistant Matron Leonie O’Neill, Staff NurseAnne Hutton, Mary Beresford and Vera Doylewere all instrumental in helping Joan’s visionscome into effect. Together they made changesto the hospital, gradually making it moreaccessible to the community. They introducedthe Carman Day Centre and respite facilities.Everyone was thrilled when President MaryRobinson came to formally open the CarmanDay Centre. Joan says that the team spiritextended long beyond normal working hours.Typically, absolutely everyone pitched in tohelp cheerfully with the annual Garden Fete,the biggest event of the year.

With Thanks to FormerMatron, Joan O’NeillBy Lorraine McWilliams

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This annual ceremony takes place at the IrishNational War Memorial in Islandbridge. Eachyear we commemorate all those who lost theirlives in the two world wars, particularly theestimated 60,000 Irish men and women fromall parts of Ireland. Naturally the veterans fromLPH are extremely welcome guests.

This year’s event comprised a parade of thestandards of the RBL, regimental, ex-serviceorganisations and commemorativeassociations.

In beautifully sunny conditions, we participatedin the ecumenical service of remembranceand the laying of wreaths. Jim Houston fromClevis represented all of us marvellously as hemarched up to lay a wreath. We all reallyenjoyed the music, which was provided by thecombined bands of the Irish Defence Forcesand the Royal Irish Regiment.

When 2001 arrived, it was time for Joan toretire. The farewell parties were magnificentand, even today, Joan smiles at the memories.She was of course sad to leave all her workfriends behind, but she was thrilled to beretiring. Nevertheless, it wasn’t long until shewas back – this time in a volunteer capacity.She has been busy on the Veterans’ SupportGroup Committee for many years now and sheis frequently seen about the hospital. Outside ofher voluntary work at the hospital, Joan rarely

has time to read or keep up with her otherhobbies. She is an enthusiastic babysitter andshe is kept busy looking after children(especially her grand-daughter, Roisin).

There is not space here to record all Joan’swonderful memories of her time at LPH, nor torecord all the thanks and warmth of the many,many residents she has helped over theyears. On their behalf, all we can say is “Ahuge well done and many thanks, Joan”.

Royal British Legion (ROI) Annual Ceremony ofRemembrance and Wreath Laying

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Why did I want to join the Royal Navy? Thiswas a question put to me by the NavalInterview Board when I attended to be sizedup as suitable material or not. My responsewas that if circumstances had been differentand I had not had the opportunity attendingmedical school or University, I would mostprobably have gone to sea as an officer cadet,naval or Merchant Navy. The response wasdeemed suitable. Now the Naval InterviewBoard was something else which would havetaken a lot of preparing for. I had passed firsttime my first and second medical year examsbut was still a very youthful fresh faced 20year old in 1964 when an order along with atravel warrant arrived for me to travel from myrural domicile in Co. Wexford to London topresent myself at Empress State Building forinterview. I made a point of finding the buildingthe previous day and, not least, being on timeand well turned out. I was shown into theinterview room where my identity wasconfirmed. The Board room table was abovetwenty feet long and could have been thirty.Ranged along the opposite side to my lonelychair, facing a man who introduced himself asthe Chairman of the Board, were at leasttwelve high ranking officers, admirals ofvarious seniorities and naval captains. I hadnever seen so much ‘brass’ in one placebefore, and seldom since. When the chairmanasked the first question, I was about half waythrough answering, when an officer over to myleft asked another question. I broke off toanswer that, when a third query came fromover to my right, and this went on. Theywanted to know what sports I played andfollowed, what was my favourite newspaper,which page I read first, the sport, the editorialor the news and which writer or columnist Iliked. Did I have a girl friend? What is hername? Did I sleep with her? This was CatholicIreland with Dr. Charles McQuaid firmly in thedriver seat but yes, I did. What occupationwas she engaged in – a bank cashier. I reckonin retrospect they were trying to unsettle me or

even trick me, but in a clear case of foolsstepping in where angels fear to tread, I keptcool and calm throughout. My responses,presence and attitude were evidentlysatisfactory as I was accepted as a medicalcadet. There were other peripheral reasons Iwanted to be in the Navy. My father, a dentist,had always had an urge to study medicine andwhile keeping my younger brother and myselfin boarding school and practising his dentistryat night, he qualified in medicine in June 1961,the very year in which, the following October, Istarted attending pre-med in UCD. NationalWestminster Bank felt they had been tolerantand forbearing but now wanted him to repayloans, so I felt it right and proper to get off thefamily payroll. A further reason which did comeinto the interview was that in common with alot of Irish people, I had a wanderlust. Thisstarted young when at 10 or 11 I collectedstamps, largely from the British colonies andmore specifically from the Far East, HongKong, Malaya, Brunei, Sabah. How many Irishboys of 11 could rattle off the names of theStates of Malaya? Later on I read a lot of W.Somerset Maugham’s books, many of whichare set in Singapore or Malaya and concernedthe lives and loves of rubber planters and thelike: I was captivated and wanted to travel.“Join the Navy and see the world” was still, in1964, a probability. At that time the RoyalNavy had five naval hospitals abroad, apartfrom several in England. At present there arenone – all dismantled and closed – a bigmistake, I believe, which in time may beregretted but the possibility of a medicalposting to a naval hospital abroad (Gibraltar,Malta, Mauritius, Hong Kong or Singapore)was very enticing. I was the first medicalstudent in UCD to be accepted into a medicalcadetship in the Royal Navy: I was in!

As an aside, another question at my interviewwas “Did you have any forebears in theNavy?”, to which my response was “No, butmy father was in the British Army in the Dental

‘Join the Navy and See the World…”By Dr. Dermot Stones

LPH NEWS


Medicine for the older person is Medicine ofthe Gaps. It is the medicine of the gapsbetween what doctors need to know for theireveryday work and what they are taught atMedical school.

Medical, Nursing and Allied Health curriculaare somehow still structured around diseasesand technologies rather than people withdiseases and people needing technologies.The majority of such people are old.

Medicine for the older person has to transcendgaps in ‘evidence based medicine’. This isbecause older people and especially frail olderpeople are left out of clinical trials; there isalso a philosophical gap. We start life withdifferent levels of health and function and weage at different rates.

Older people come to differ from each othermore than do younger people. What isparamount is that older people are treated asindividuals and not as members of ahomogenous groups assumed in the rationaleof conventional trial evidence.

Some generalisations are possible. It followsfrom the biology of ageing that the risk ofcomplications, often preventable or curable,from physically challenging treatments willincrease with age. But it follows, too, that thebenefits of treatments that are not physicallychallenging will also increase with age. Thebest approach is ‘let’s try it, but stop it if it doesnot work trial’, with the patient as an activeand informed partner. Even this is better thanthe unthinkable application of the results of a

clinical trial ofdubious relevance.

Because of theevidence gap,Medicine for theolder person has to be an art as well as ascience ... the art is the ability to recognisesimilarities and distinguish significantdifferences.

For some of us it’s the interplay of medicine,biology and social science that makesMedicine for the older person a fascinatingcentral interest.

Medicine for the Older Person By Joseph Yazbeck, Medical Officer

Corp in WWII”. It was a huge surprise to me tosubsequently find out that on my mother’s side(born in Longford town) there were two RoyalNaval Officers, both medical officers, one inWWII, who later became a G.P. in the Isle ofMan and the earlier one, Henry Wilson, we

know was Assistant Surgeon on HMS Algiersin 1863. He was born also in the same houseas my maternal grandmother and mother at 3Keon Terrace, Longford. Naval medicalservice must be in the blood!

LPH NEWS


By profession, I am a psychiatric nurse. Iworked at The Institute of Psychiatry andNeurology in Poland.

In 2004 my mother was diagnosed withAlzheimer’s. During the years of taking care ofher I delved deeply into the core question ofwhat makes a person, how dementia affectsthe makeup of the individual and what can belearned from this. For years I used art as away of communication and therapeuticintervention for my mother and I now use myexperiences in my work. I am currentlycompleting a Diploma in Art Therapy course inMarino College, Dublin.

I feel greatly privileged to work inLeopardstown Park Hospital as an ActivityCoordinator with a team of people who havethe same approach and mind set as mine.Being an Activity Coordinator means muchmore to me than just delivering entertainmentto residents in a nursing home. In my work Iwould love to redefine the culturalenvironment of dementia and memory loss. Istrongly believe we can learn a lot fromresidents and that if we focus on reciprocalpartnership instead of only on care-giving - it’swe, not them, who can gain most. I want toencourage our residents to step into a world ofimagination as I strongly believe Art is anexpression of the inner person and through artmaking we can communicate beyond words.

Not only does art-making have benefits, buteven looking at art has a therapeutic effect.Some of the benefits of being involved in art-making are:

• Depression is lifted• Short term memory loss and long termmemory loss are regained

• Feelings of passion/innermost feelings areignited

• Coordination is regained

• A sense of purpose is achieved, whichcombats agitation, boredom etc.

• Family and resident always have somethingto look forward to

• The resident is able to show their creativity• Art sessions make residents laugh• Art makes a huge difference in the lives ofthe residents

• There is a sense of accomplishment andpride amongst residents, especially whenseeing their art work being displayed in theart gallery

• Social stimulation alleviates isolation andhelps to form friendships

Research and experiences from varioussources suggest that a painting can saysomething to an Alzheimer’s sufferer andsometimes can inspire a dialogue with thepicture. Recent research has shown thatclassical music can help to slow down theonset of dementia.

I am using ideas based on two projects fromthe US, ARTZ (Artists for Alzheimer’s) andAFTA (Arts for the Aging). The project includes

Through Art, Hope isNever LostBy Marta Nowakowska

LPH NEWS


painting murals and creating permanentexhibition of residents’ works on the walls. Iam encouraging residents to paint to themusic. The idea of music expressed incolours, shapes and shades comes from thepainter Vassily Kandinsky. With musicnaturally comes movement. By introducingdance into our programme, we aim to give thebody back to people with dementia. Freemovement to music provides a way to reclaimthe aging body, improve mobility, increase thelevel of endorphins, it can be also a way ofself-expression and purveyor of pleasure.

In Leopardstown Park Hospital we are hugelyprivileged to have beautiful green grounds andgardens. It is well known that contact withnature is associated with health and well-being. Something as simple as a walk innature can reduce depression in about 71 %of participants. Spending more time outsidewith residents is a part of the programme.When outside, residents will be encouraged tonotice colours, shapes and textures. When weengage people with dementia in conversationabout favourite colours and their meaning weoften use terms such “lighten up”, “seeingred”, “feeling blue”, “being green with envy”, or“yellow bellied”. Such a conversation can

make people be more aware of their emotions,and help them express feeling during artsessions. In choosing a particular colour, weare often subconsciously giving ourselvesintuitive colour treatment as every colour hassome associations to our mood. Someexamples of this are:

Orange is the colour of joy and happiness andis the symbol of creation. It influences bothpsychical vitality and the intellect.

Green is the colour of balance, harmony andsympathy.

Blue is the colour that symbolizes inspiration,devotion, peace and tranquillity. It is a usefulcolour with which to treat tension, fear,palpitations and insomnia.

So, what is all this leading to? Taking intoaccount all of the ideas mentioned above, Iam working together with our Manager PaulaCarraher and another Activity Co-OrdinatorMichelle Gumpall to use these ideas in thehospital. We aim to develop a programmewhich will include as many genres of art aspossible, mainly painting, music and dance.We have already started a project to transformthe hospital’s interior so that it looks muchmore creative and friendly.

SpringBy Oliver Coyle

She dances on the snowdrops

Takes March and April by the hand

And spreads her yellow cloak of life

On new-born buds across the land

Her smiling sunrays light up the morn

And banishes winter chill with scorn

New hope and peace with her

She’ll bring new Spring

LPH NEWS


I am a musician and a singer and I have beenworking as an Activity coordinator for almost12 years in different nursing homes, providingMusic Therapy for residents.

I strongly believe music can be used tomaintain or increase levels of physical,mental, social, and emotional functioning, itcan help maintain quality of life or evenimprove it. When verbal communications fail,using familiar songs can help soothe and takethe edge off difficult moments.

Music has power—especially for individualswith Alzheimer’s disease and relateddementias. And it can spark compellingoutcomes even in the very late stages of thedisease.

Some of the benefits of Music Therapyinclude:

• memory recall;

• positive changes in moods and emotionalstates;

• a sense of control over life;

• non-pharmacological management of painand discomfort;

• stimulation that promotes interest evenwhen other approaches are ineffective;

• promotes rhythmic, continuous movementand vocal fluency;

• opportunities to interact socially with others.

My aim is not only to perform for residents butalso to encourage as many people as possibleto fully engage in musical activity whichmeans to play musical bingo, join the choirand to sing along with me during our concerts.

To give you some more information about me:I love adventure, sky diving was my favouriteand going in a hot air balloon too. I amcurrently the President of the Bray FilipinoCommunity. I used to sing in a band in Irelandcalled P60. I love nature.

We all miss John Crisp hugely. He was amodest man, who rarely spoke of his warexperiences. In his typically modest fashion,John would not want us ‘going on about’ theincidents he had survived, or the bravery he

had shown during the war. He would muchprefer that we turn to his humour, his jokesand most especially the limericks for which hewas famous throughout LPH.

Music TherapyBy Michelle Gumpall

The Story of the Limerick – In Memory of John CrispBy Pete McWilliams

LPH NEWS


Have you ever wondered what exactly aLimerick is? Your curiosity might go furtherand wonder where and when Limericksstarted and why they were given the name ofa county and city in Ireland.

It seems there is a technical answer to the firstquestion. A Limerick is a form of rhyme orpoetry that contains five lines. The first,second and fifth lines have a three-beatmeasure called a trimeter. The second andfourth lines have a two-beat measure called adimeter. That is why all, or nearly all, Limerickssound the same even though the words aredifferent. It is a bit like singing the air of a well-known song but with different words to theoriginal.

Despite the obvious Irish connection in thename, Limericks are thought to haveoriginated in France in the Middle Ages. Theyseem to have appeared in England in the 11thcentury. Long after that, William Shakespearewas born in 1564 and, according to those whoknow these things, he used a form of Limerickin his plays Othello and King Lear.

It seems that Limericks did not appear inIreland until the 1700s when soldiers whofought in the Spanish Wars of Successionintroduced them. In the very late 1700s andinto the early 1800s, Irish poets congregatedin pubs and, perhaps, with the help of copiousquantities of alcohol, these poets composedLimericks. Hearsay and folklore has it that apub in Limerick was the start of Limericks inIreland. Arguably, the most famous of thesepoets were the Maigue Poets. The Maiguepoets took their name from the river that flowsinto the Shannon. Two of the founders wereSeán O’Tuama and Andrias MacRaith whocame from Kilmallock, Co Limerick and whogrew up together there. As is often the case,the two men had a disagreement of some sortand started writing mocking Limericks abouteach other. The fact that O’Tuama was apublican was a rich source of material for both– O’Tuama to write in praise of his productsand MacRaith to write critically of O’Tuamaand his products.

The following are two examples of what somebelieve to be the first Limericks written:

O’Tuama wrote:

“I sell the best Brandy and Sherryto make all my customers merry.But at times their financesrun short as it chances.And then I feel very sad, very.”

MacCraiths reply to this was:“O’Tuama, you boast yourself handy,at selling good ale and bright Brandy,But the fact is your liquormakes everyone sickerI tell you this I, your good friend Andy.”

CREDITS

“The History of Croom.” Wikipedia.com

http://www.strandhotellimerick.ie/upload/docs/shinnors-painting_key_single-border.pdf

http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_famous_limerick_background.html

“The Limerick”By John Crisp

The Limerick’s a strange form of art;

But one in which all can take part.

Just paper and pen,

Silly notions and then,

You’re poised and ready to start.

LPH NEWS


The Sheikh’s Will – A Lesson on Solving ProblemsBy Pete McWilliams

As you know, the Arabs are very fond of theirhorses and they breed some very good ones.Horses are considered to be valuable assets.An elderly sheikh who was regarded as one ofthe best horse breeders in the land had astable of 17 thoroughbreds. He also had threesons. When the sheikh died his Will was readout by one of his top legal officials.

The Will was read out and stipulated thefollowing:

To my eldest son, Mohammed, I leave half myhorses

To my middle son, Ibrahim, I leave one third ofmy horses

To my youngest son, Rashid, I leave one ninthof my horses.

The problem facing the official was how todivide 17 by 2 (half) or 17 by 3 (one third) or17 by 9 (one ninth). His other problem wasthat the three sons started to fight each otherand the whole situation was rapidly gettingcompletely out of control and dangerous. Theofficial had to act quickly and effectively.

The official knew of a wise old man who livedin a remote oasis. He called for this man to bebrought to him. This was done. On arriving,the wise old man read the Will carefully andthought for a while. He then asked the official

if he could borrow his horse for a short while.Totally trusting the wise old man, the officialagreed. The wise old man added this horse tothe late sheikh’s 17 horses which now meantthere were 18 horses.

Of course, the division was simple now; half of18 is 9 horses, one third of 18 is 6 horses andone ninth of 18 is 2 horses. So, the wise oldman duly distributed the horses accordingly; 9to the eldest son, 6 to the middle son and 2 tothe youngest son. If you now count the horses9+6+2 you see it comes to 17 horses. Thismeans that the sheik’s wishes were carriedout and the wise old man was able to handback the horse he borrowed from the official.

Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps thereis!

It shows that with a little bit of “give” and a littlebit of “take” complex and difficult problems canbe solved.

It shows the importance of “common ground”in negotiations and agreements. The “commonground” in this case being the borrowed 18thhorse.

Perhaps most importantly of all, it shows thatthere has to be a willingness and a belief thata solution can be found. If the willingness andbelief are not there, there is unlikely to ever bea solution.


GALLERY

CondolencesOur Sympathy goes to the relatives and friends

of those deceased:

It has also been a sad time for volunteers and former staff. We extend our condolences to the families of:

Jane Medcalf (wife of Geoffrey Medcalf M.B.E)

Thelaire Barnwell (Royal British Legion, Metropolitan Branch), so instrumental in having the ornamental fountain garden restored

Maura Cullen (retired staff member)

Jim Kelly (Royal Air Forces Association)

Patrick McGrath

Margaret Houlihan

Philomena McGarry

Betty Noyak

Irene Tullio

Patrick Morrissey

Frances Cummins

Robbie Duffy

Dorothy Curran

Christine Ryan

Carmel O’Shea

Kathleen Stynes

Cathal O’Reilly

Mary Collins

Bernard McCabe

Catherine Ledden

Patricia Duggan

John Crisp

Olive Walker

Frankie Hennell

Mona Coogan

Mary Harding

Tom Harmon

Frances Lacy

Maureen Fagan

James Walsh

Martin O’Sullivan

Mary Martin

Phyllis Telford

Mary Arnold

Christine Armstrong

Bridget Keogh

Mary May Hennell

Nancy Fagan

Bridie Boyce

Jeanne Matthews

Elizabeth Sheehan

William Flanagan

Babs Kearns

Louise Mockler

Richard Keegan

Terry Putt

Ann O’Keefe

Leonard Kelly

Sam Spencer

Frances Mullen

Maureen Ryan

Sylvester Pidgeon

Muriel Parnell

Helena O’Dwyer

Michael McCoy

Terry Martinez

Seamus Fee

Therese Kane

Anne O’Rafferty

Ann Ahearne

LPH NEWS


Dates for your DiaryMonday

10.00am – 12.00Individual activities

2.00pm – 4.00pmCreative space –Coffee Dock

2.00pmMobile libraryon wards

Tuesday

10.00 – 12.00 Kiltiernan individualactivities

11.30Mass / Novena /Prayers to St. Anthony


Wednesday

11.00 – 1.00pm Residents’ outings

2.30pm – 3.30pmKaraoke – everysecond week

2.00pm – 4.00pmCoffee Dock

5.00pm – 7.00pmSocial Evening –Glencairn

Thursday

10.00 – 12.00Individual sessions


2.30pm – 4.30pmMusic with Ciarán

Friday

11.30First Friday Mass

2.30pm – 4.30pmMusic with Ciarán

3.00pmChurch of Ireland Service– 1st and 3rd Friday

Saturday

10.00Flower arranging –Alternate Saturdays

2.00pm – 4.00pmCoffee Dock

3.30pmMass

Sunday

2.00pm – 4.00pmCreative Space –Coffee Dock

Celebrating Our Centenary Winter 2017.pdf · LIANA Newsletter Winter 2017 | 1 This special edition...

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Transcript of Celebrating Our Centenary Winter 2017.pdf · LIANA Newsletter Winter 2017 | 1 This special edition...