A FERMANAGH woman had to be taken by helicopter to hospital to give birth in what will be a dramatic series of events she and her family will never forget.

Tara McMahon (nee Keown), who is originally from Garrison, has been living on Inishbofin off the coast of Connemara since 2012 with her husband, Hugh, son Kilty, and daughters Nancy and Nell, with the latest addition to the family, Connie, arriving last month.

It was during the exceptionally hot weather that the island of Ireland experienced at the end of July that Connie made her way into the world – but not in the way that was planned.

“My due date was Saturday, July 24. My consultant and I had made a plan that we’d leave the island on my due date and head to Galway, awaiting the arrival of baby number four,” explained Tara.

“My sister, Anne, and her family had arrived on the island on Friday afternoon to stay with the kids for a week.

“We did the normal bedtime routine with the kids and there was great excitement about Mammy and Daddy leaving on the ferry the next day to go and get the baby! I went to bed that night feeling really relaxed.”

But this was where things went awry, as at 4.20am on Saturday morning, she woke up with contractions.

“I walked around a bit but I was timing the contractions as they were coming thick and fast. There were only a couple of minutes between them, so I woke Hugh and my sister, and called Maureen [the Public Health Nurse/Midwife].

“Maureen was great; she kept track of the contractions and she must have known things were progressing quickly, because she rang the air ambulance.

“I can’t describe the relief when Hugh said he could hear the chopper coming!”

It was not the first time Tara had been airlifted during a pregnancy. A bleed during her first pregnancy meant she had to be airlifted, but this second trip was “totally different”.

“I was so pleased to be on board, in safe hands, and en route to the hospital. Conal, on board Rescue 118, was amazing and so reassuring.

“It was the most beautiful morning to fly. We left the island just after 6am; the sun was coming up, the sky was amazing. It took around half an hour to get to Galway, and then I was transferred into the hospital by ambulance.”

After a few hours of hard labour in the heat, Connie arrived safely, and Tara said she has not known relief like it.

She was grateful that Hugh was able to be with her during it all, at a time when Covid-19 is restricting partners from being present during labour.

Now they are back home on Inishbofin with the newest addition to the McMahon clan, and everybody is doing well after the whole experience.

“I’m still reeling from the whole experience, I just can’t believe how it all happened, but as everyone keeps telling me, it’s a great story, and one we’ll enjoy reminding Connie of as she grows up.

“Connie is a delight! We’re on cloud nine to have her home, and the kids are absolutely besotted! She’s a great baby so far – very calm and quiet.”