ORDER
OF MALTA AMBULANCE CORPS
ATHY UNIT
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ORDER
OF MALTA AMBULANCE CORPS ATHY UNIT |
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In 1976, with the assistance of the Lion’s Club, it was decided that the Unit
would provide a Meals-on-Wheels service in the area. Funds were raised and the Lion’s
Club provided a vehicle for the service As the profile of the Ambulance Corps grew in County Kildare, several major events requested first aid service from the local units. By 1977 the units were responsible for first aid at the three racecourses in the county, Punchestown, Naas and the Curragh. Today the Athy unit provides coverage at over forty race meetings at these tracks each year. Several members of the unit have over the past years received citations for outstanding work in the care of injured jockeys and the grey uniform has become a common sight at events such as the Budweiser Derby and the National Hunt Festival at Punchestown. From a peak in the late seventies, (over thirty members of the unit acted as first
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which was launched in 1977.
This service was a great success and provided warm meals to upwards of 15 people in the
locality 6 days a week, the meals were cooked by the kitchen in St Vincent’s hospital
and were delivered by a rota of drivers. From the Meals on Wheels service the unit also
became involved in the Day Care Centre in St. Vincent’s and provided both a driver
and a vehicle for the centre. This photo was taken at the launch of the service. As both
these services grew and the associated costs grew, it was no longer viable for the unit as
a voluntary organisation to continue as the provider and both projects were handed over to
the Eastern Health Board, who had provided funds for the projects in the previous years.
Both these services are still flourishing today and stand as a testament to the unit
members who were involved in their conception.
during Pope John Paul’s visit to
Ireland, this photo shows Eddie Daly, Paddy Kelly and Kevin Wynne on duty at the Papal
Mass in Maynooth in October 1979) membership dropped in the eighties to about twelve
active personnel. At this time , the unit took possession of its headquarters in Nelson
Street and the building, a disused grain store, was converted over a period of years. The
unit now has a top-class headquarters, complete with meeting rooms, fully equipped lecture
room and stores. The headquarters is used for unit meetings and public first aid classes.
It is also used as the Regional Training Centre. The unit has come a long way over the
past years and as we celebrate our fiftieth anniversary, it is hoped that the organisation
will continue to provide a welcome service to the people of Athy.