DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Ann McDonnell and committee members of Cara Iorrais, a cancer support group based in Erris, pictured at last year's Rehab Mayo People of the Year awards, where they were honoured.
Journey of hope ends in despair
Last Thursday morning Ann McDonnell arrived at her home at Carne, Erris at 3.20am. The former cancer sufferer, nurse and Erris Woman of the Year was tired and downbeat. She had just spent two days in the Dáil gallery watching a ‘bored’ Minister for Health doodle and text-message, as two Mayo Fianna Fáil TDs effected a U-turn on their promises
WE travelled up on the Wednesday morning by bus, there were about 50 of us, including the seven women who have led the Mayo campaign. We’re all like sisters at this stage, so close, so united. I suppose it’s because we’re all survivors of cancer.
On the journey up, on the one hand, we were so enthusiastic, so optimistic, but, on the other hand, we knew in our hearts the motion probably wouldn’t be passed.
The day we had met Mary Harney in Castlebar (on May 1 last), she was so sympathetic, I felt she would change her mind. She appeared human that day. And she did give us an hour of her time.
The other thing that gave me a bit of hope was that a few days beforehand they had announced that Sligo wouldn’t be given satellite status but they didn’t mention that Mayo General wouldn’t.
Anyway, after we arrived at the Dáil, we met Enda Kenny, Michael Ring and John O’Mahony and we had tea. Then we went in for the debate.
I had a fantastic view, and it quickly became clear to me that Mary Harney appeared to have her mind made up already, and had no interest in what was going on. We’d been told to turn off our phones but she was texting all the time, reading her messages, doodling boxes on a piece of paper, flicking imaginary hairs off her clothes, tossing her hair back.
Then, she left the minute the debate was over.
On Wednesday night it was the same thing. Her demeanour was terrible, different than when she was in Castlebar. She took the doily from under her glass of water, cut the centrepiece out and tore it in pieces; she appeared totally bored. It seemed like she was only there because she had to be.
Then our Fianna Fáil TDs – Beverley and Dara – both of them had stood up in Castlebar and said they were on our side but they did a U-turn on Wednesday when they voted with the Government.
Beverley was terrible. She claimed that she stood by us but that the hospital manager, Tony Canavan and the clinicians had announced the services wouldn’t be retained. That wasn’t true, the clinicians were never in favour of this move.
Then, Dara Calleary said he felt it would be better if the services weren’t removed until the centres of excellence were up and running. But this didn’t stop him voting with the Government.
I was just absolutely devastated. After I came out of the Dáil on Tuesday night – I was staying in my daughter’s house in Dublin – I couldn’t sleep. But I got up the next day and hoped again. Imagine, we were still optimistic until the last minute. The gallery was packed on Wednesday, with even more people from Mayo who travelled up separately.
Afterwards, we are absolutely devastated. But on the bus home, Mary McGreal started the singing. She’s just been an inspiration to all of us. When I finally arrived in my house at 3.20am, I was so sad. Very sad.
Initially, I was diagnosed, before Christmas 2002, with breast cancer. Then, after I had a CT scan they picked up on a tumour in my kidney. The follow-up treatment in MGH was just brilliant. It is due to the efficiency of MGH that my life was saved.
We were protesting for the people who will come there after us, the young mothers with children, as well as all the other people. To go to Galway from here it will be a three-hour trip, you’ll spend at least one hour there and then it’s three hours back. It’s a 240-mile round trip on some of the worst roads in this country.
And, on top of that, the Government won’t be giving an individual taxi for a patient in Belmullet. You’ll be put in a mini-bus – no matter how sick you are – and leaving home at 6am and not returning until 10pm that night having travelled the whole county dropping people off.
It’s very difficult for me to say what the future of the campaign is now. If there was any chink of hope, we would have to continue our protest.
Ann McDonnell was in conversation with Áine Ryan
