Offaly baby is first New Year arrival in Mullingar hospital

The dawn of 2013 proved a busy one for the maternity unit at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar with plenty of new arrivals on January 1st. The first to make an entrance, a little girl, was born at 8.50am on New Year's Day to mother Deirdre Young from Offaly. Mum Mary Sharkey from Tarmonbarry in Roscommon also welcomed a little boy born later in the afternoon at 2.49pm, with Samantha Nevin from Mullingar giving birth to a baby boy shortly afterwards at 3.05pm. Meanwhile, Angela Porter from Glenboy, Oldcastle in Meath welcomed a baby girl at 5.10pm and the final bundle of joy, also a little girl, was born 6.10pm to delighted mother Ingrid Smyth from Leagan Rock in Longford. A spokesperson for the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar said they would like to wish all of the new mothers a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013. The HSE West said they do not divulge details of the first babies born in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, instead providing the new parents with contacts should they wish to contact the media. The first Irish baby of 2013 was born at the Limerick Maternity Hospital. Little Leo Maples entered the world just one minute after midnight to mother Carmel McNamara and Charles Maples. Not due until January 8, the first boy of the family weighing in at 6lb 10oz was named after her father, who died last January.