New Year baby joy at University Maternity Hospital Limerick

LIMERICK’s first babies have arrived into the world safe and well at the University Maternity Hospital.

The first baby born locally in 2021 arrived just four minutes after midnight this Friday morning.

A baby girl, she is doing very well. The first six new arrivals into the world in Limerick this New Year’s Day were all little girls.

The fifth baby to arrive was Brooke, born at 5:01 to Kate Slattery, 22, and her partner Declan Barry.

The little miracle has seen Fianna Fail councillor Catherine Slattery overjoyed to become a grandmother for the first time.

Weighing a very healthy eight pounds, 10 ounces, Cllr Slattery had been up all night awaiting the good news.

“Kate is flying it, she is smitten with her. She is just thrilled and delighted. Especially after the year 2020, it’s such a fantastic way to start the New Year. We are all in love with her already,” said the City East councillor, “She’s a fine baby.”

“I was awake all night waiting for news. I was texting Kate’s partner. I knew she went in and had a caesarian section, so I knew the baby was about to be born. When he texted me to tell me, I started crying, I was absolutely delighted. About an hour later, Kate facetimed me,” added Cllr Slattery.

It’s anticipated mother and baby may be back at home in the Old Cork Road by Tuesday.

Cllr Slattery praised the staff at the Maternity Hospital, adding: “They really looked after Kate and the baby. I know for any mothers going in to have a baby, it’s scary and frightening.”

Elsewhere, mum Weronika Wroblewska, gave birth to beautiful baby daughter Alexandra just before 12.50am.

Weronika and dad Rafal live in Newport, Co Tipperary, and Alexandra weighed a healthy three kilogrammes on delivery. Alexandra has one older brother, Oliver.

Another New Year’s Day arrival was beautiful Alia, who weighed 6 pounds 13 ounces when born to businesswoman Aisling Maher at 6.36am.

Aisling, from Castletroy, is an internationally renowned milliner and owns a boutique in Adare.

Alia joins her 15-month old brother Odhran in the Maher household

Business owners have been through a terrible year due to the pandemic and with so much of her business relying on special occasions such as weddings, Aisling said she was looking forward to 2021 with renewed hope.

"The one good thing about 2020 was the way in which we have been able to reflect about the important things in life and getting ready for Alia has been a real focus for us. With so much of my work depending on events, it has been a difficult year for my business; and my husband is a GP so he has really been through the mill," she said.

"But we are looking forward to the year ahead with the vaccine and we are grateful for the little people in our lives. I can’t wait to bring Alia home."