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842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 113
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 213
This is a work of fiction All of the characters organizations
and events portrayed in this novel are either products ofthe authorrsquos imagination or are used fictitiously
983137 983140983157983138983148983145983150 983155983156983157983140983141983150983156 983140983151983139983156983151983154 983137983150 983145983154983145983155983144 983139983151983157983150983156983154 983161 983150983151983158983141983148
Copyright copy 2011 by Patrick Taylor
All r ights reserved
Maps by Elizabeth Danforth and Jennifer Hanover
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates LLC175 Fifth Avenue
New York NY 10010
wwwtor-forgecom
Forgereg is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Taylor Patrick
A Dublin student doctor an Irish country novel PatrickTaylormdash1st ed
p cm
ldquoA Tom Doherty Associates bookrdquo
ISBN 978-0-7653-2673-7
1 OrsquoReilly Fingal Flahertie (Fictitious character)mdashFiction 2 Medical
studentsmdashFiction 3 Dublin (Ireland)mdashFiction I Title
PR91993T36D83 2011
81354mdashdc22 2011021543
First Edition October 2011
Printed in the United States of America
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 313
Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly Doctor Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly edged
the long-bonnetted Rover out of the car park ldquoLord Jasusrdquo he re-
marked ldquobut this twenty-fourth day of April in the year of our
Lord 1965 has been one for the book of lifetime memoriesrdquo He
smiled at Kitty OrsquoHallorhan in the passengerrsquos seat ldquoFor all kindsof reasonsrdquo he said ldquoand now that the Downpatrick Races are over
itrsquos home to Ballybucklebordquo He accelerated
Kitty yelled ldquoWill you slow downrdquo then said more gently
ldquoFingal there are pedestrians and cyclists Irsquod rather not see any
in the ditchrdquo The afternoon sun highlighted the amber 1047298ecks in
her grey eyes She put slim fingers on his arm
ldquoJust for you Kittyrdquo He slowed and whistled ldquoSlow Boat toChinardquo ldquoAll right in the backrdquo
ldquoFine Fingalrdquo said OrsquoReillyrsquos assistant young Doctor Barry
Laverty
ldquoGrand sordquo Mrs Maureen ldquoKinkyrdquo Kincaid was OrsquoReillyrsquos
housekeeper as she had been for Doctor Flanagan Fingal had met
Kinky when hersquod come as an assistant to Thoacutemas Flanagan in 1938
Shersquod stayed on when a thirty-seven-year-old OrsquoReilly returned in
1946 from his service in the Second World War and bought the
general practice from Doctor Flanaganrsquos estate
Itrsquos a Long Long Road from Which
There Is No Return
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 413
18 Patrick Taylor
Theyrsquod been a good nineteen years he thought as he put the car
into a tight bend between two rows of ancient elms So had his
years as a medical student at Dublinrsquos Trinity College in the rsquo30sldquoJasus thundering Murphyrdquo OrsquoReilly stamped on the brake The
Rover shuddered to a halt five yards from a man standing waving
his arms
OrsquoReillyrsquos bushy eyebrows met He could feel his temper rise
and the tip of his bent nose blanch ldquoEveryone all rightrdquo he roared
and was relieved to hear a chorus of reassurance He hurled his
door open and stamped up the road ldquoWhat in the blue bloody
blazes are you doing standing there waving your arms like an out-
of-kilter semaphore I could have squashed you 1047298atter than a
1047298aming 1047298ounder-fishrdquo
The stranger wore Wellington boots moleskin trousers and a
hacking jacket He had a russet beard a squint and was no more
than five foot two OrsquoReilly expected him at least to take a stepback apologise but he stood his ground
ldquoTherersquos no need for youse rsquotil be losing the bap so therersquos not
Therersquos been an accident and Irsquom here to stop big buggers like
youse driving into it so I am See for yourselfrdquo He pointed to a knot
of people and the slowly rotating rear wheel of a motorbike that lay
on its side
ldquoAccidentrdquo said OrsquoReilly He spun on his heel ldquoBarry Grabmy bag and come hererdquo He turned back ldquoIrsquom Doctor OrsquoReilly
Doctor Lavertyrsquos comingrdquo
ldquoDoctor Thank God for that sir A motorcyclist took a purler
on an oil slick you know Somebodyrsquos gone for the ambulance and
policerdquo
ldquoHere you arerdquo Barry handed OrsquoReilly his bag ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo
ldquoMotorbike accidentrdquo He spoke to the short man ldquoYoursquod be
safer back down the road where drivers can see you before theyrsquore
on top of yourdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 19
ldquoRight enough Irsquoll go sirrdquo He started walking
OrsquoReilly yelled ldquoKitty Kinky Therersquos been an accident Stay
with the carrdquo Kitty would have the wit to pull the car over to theverge ldquoCome on Barryrdquo OrsquoReilly marched straight to the little
crowd Time to use the voice that could be heard over a gale when
hersquod served on the battleship HMS Warspite ldquoWersquore doctors Let
us throughrdquo
Ruddy-cheeked country faces turned Murmuring people shuf-
1047298ed aside and a path opened
A motorbike lay on the road an exclamation mark at the end of
two long black scrawls of rubber The engine ticked and the stink
of oil and burnt tyre hung over the smell of ploughed earth from a
field and the almond scent of whin 1047298owers
A middle-aged woman knelt beside the rider The victimrsquos
head was turned away from OrsquoReilly but there could only be one
owner of that red thatch A duncher lay a few yards away It irri-tated OrsquoReilly that Ulstermen wouldnrsquot wear crash helmets but
favoured cloth caps worn with the peak at the back
He knelt beside the woman and set his bag on the ground ldquoHersquos
unconscious hersquos breathing regular his airwayrsquos clear his pulse is
eighty and regular and hersquos not bleeding There donrsquot seem to
be any bones brokenrdquo she said and added ldquoIrsquom a first-aider you
knowrdquoldquoThank you Mrsrdquo
ldquoMeehan Rosie Meehanrdquo
OrsquoReilly smiled at her ldquoDonal Donalrdquo he said gently Fifteen
minutes ago hersquod seen Ballybuckleborsquos arch schemer Donal Don-
nelly riding the motorbike from the car park
No reply
OrsquoReilly grabbed the manrsquos wrist Good Mrs Meehan was right
the pulse was strong and regular ldquoDonalrdquo he said more loudly
ldquoDonalrdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 213
This is a work of fiction All of the characters organizations
and events portrayed in this novel are either products ofthe authorrsquos imagination or are used fictitiously
983137 983140983157983138983148983145983150 983155983156983157983140983141983150983156 983140983151983139983156983151983154 983137983150 983145983154983145983155983144 983139983151983157983150983156983154 983161 983150983151983158983141983148
Copyright copy 2011 by Patrick Taylor
All r ights reserved
Maps by Elizabeth Danforth and Jennifer Hanover
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates LLC175 Fifth Avenue
New York NY 10010
wwwtor-forgecom
Forgereg is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Taylor Patrick
A Dublin student doctor an Irish country novel PatrickTaylormdash1st ed
p cm
ldquoA Tom Doherty Associates bookrdquo
ISBN 978-0-7653-2673-7
1 OrsquoReilly Fingal Flahertie (Fictitious character)mdashFiction 2 Medical
studentsmdashFiction 3 Dublin (Ireland)mdashFiction I Title
PR91993T36D83 2011
81354mdashdc22 2011021543
First Edition October 2011
Printed in the United States of America
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 313
Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly Doctor Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly edged
the long-bonnetted Rover out of the car park ldquoLord Jasusrdquo he re-
marked ldquobut this twenty-fourth day of April in the year of our
Lord 1965 has been one for the book of lifetime memoriesrdquo He
smiled at Kitty OrsquoHallorhan in the passengerrsquos seat ldquoFor all kindsof reasonsrdquo he said ldquoand now that the Downpatrick Races are over
itrsquos home to Ballybucklebordquo He accelerated
Kitty yelled ldquoWill you slow downrdquo then said more gently
ldquoFingal there are pedestrians and cyclists Irsquod rather not see any
in the ditchrdquo The afternoon sun highlighted the amber 1047298ecks in
her grey eyes She put slim fingers on his arm
ldquoJust for you Kittyrdquo He slowed and whistled ldquoSlow Boat toChinardquo ldquoAll right in the backrdquo
ldquoFine Fingalrdquo said OrsquoReillyrsquos assistant young Doctor Barry
Laverty
ldquoGrand sordquo Mrs Maureen ldquoKinkyrdquo Kincaid was OrsquoReillyrsquos
housekeeper as she had been for Doctor Flanagan Fingal had met
Kinky when hersquod come as an assistant to Thoacutemas Flanagan in 1938
Shersquod stayed on when a thirty-seven-year-old OrsquoReilly returned in
1946 from his service in the Second World War and bought the
general practice from Doctor Flanaganrsquos estate
Itrsquos a Long Long Road from Which
There Is No Return
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 413
18 Patrick Taylor
Theyrsquod been a good nineteen years he thought as he put the car
into a tight bend between two rows of ancient elms So had his
years as a medical student at Dublinrsquos Trinity College in the rsquo30sldquoJasus thundering Murphyrdquo OrsquoReilly stamped on the brake The
Rover shuddered to a halt five yards from a man standing waving
his arms
OrsquoReillyrsquos bushy eyebrows met He could feel his temper rise
and the tip of his bent nose blanch ldquoEveryone all rightrdquo he roared
and was relieved to hear a chorus of reassurance He hurled his
door open and stamped up the road ldquoWhat in the blue bloody
blazes are you doing standing there waving your arms like an out-
of-kilter semaphore I could have squashed you 1047298atter than a
1047298aming 1047298ounder-fishrdquo
The stranger wore Wellington boots moleskin trousers and a
hacking jacket He had a russet beard a squint and was no more
than five foot two OrsquoReilly expected him at least to take a stepback apologise but he stood his ground
ldquoTherersquos no need for youse rsquotil be losing the bap so therersquos not
Therersquos been an accident and Irsquom here to stop big buggers like
youse driving into it so I am See for yourselfrdquo He pointed to a knot
of people and the slowly rotating rear wheel of a motorbike that lay
on its side
ldquoAccidentrdquo said OrsquoReilly He spun on his heel ldquoBarry Grabmy bag and come hererdquo He turned back ldquoIrsquom Doctor OrsquoReilly
Doctor Lavertyrsquos comingrdquo
ldquoDoctor Thank God for that sir A motorcyclist took a purler
on an oil slick you know Somebodyrsquos gone for the ambulance and
policerdquo
ldquoHere you arerdquo Barry handed OrsquoReilly his bag ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo
ldquoMotorbike accidentrdquo He spoke to the short man ldquoYoursquod be
safer back down the road where drivers can see you before theyrsquore
on top of yourdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 513
A Dublin Student Doctor 19
ldquoRight enough Irsquoll go sirrdquo He started walking
OrsquoReilly yelled ldquoKitty Kinky Therersquos been an accident Stay
with the carrdquo Kitty would have the wit to pull the car over to theverge ldquoCome on Barryrdquo OrsquoReilly marched straight to the little
crowd Time to use the voice that could be heard over a gale when
hersquod served on the battleship HMS Warspite ldquoWersquore doctors Let
us throughrdquo
Ruddy-cheeked country faces turned Murmuring people shuf-
1047298ed aside and a path opened
A motorbike lay on the road an exclamation mark at the end of
two long black scrawls of rubber The engine ticked and the stink
of oil and burnt tyre hung over the smell of ploughed earth from a
field and the almond scent of whin 1047298owers
A middle-aged woman knelt beside the rider The victimrsquos
head was turned away from OrsquoReilly but there could only be one
owner of that red thatch A duncher lay a few yards away It irri-tated OrsquoReilly that Ulstermen wouldnrsquot wear crash helmets but
favoured cloth caps worn with the peak at the back
He knelt beside the woman and set his bag on the ground ldquoHersquos
unconscious hersquos breathing regular his airwayrsquos clear his pulse is
eighty and regular and hersquos not bleeding There donrsquot seem to
be any bones brokenrdquo she said and added ldquoIrsquom a first-aider you
knowrdquoldquoThank you Mrsrdquo
ldquoMeehan Rosie Meehanrdquo
OrsquoReilly smiled at her ldquoDonal Donalrdquo he said gently Fifteen
minutes ago hersquod seen Ballybuckleborsquos arch schemer Donal Don-
nelly riding the motorbike from the car park
No reply
OrsquoReilly grabbed the manrsquos wrist Good Mrs Meehan was right
the pulse was strong and regular ldquoDonalrdquo he said more loudly
ldquoDonalrdquo
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20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
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26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 313
Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly Doctor Fingal Flahertie OrsquoReilly edged
the long-bonnetted Rover out of the car park ldquoLord Jasusrdquo he re-
marked ldquobut this twenty-fourth day of April in the year of our
Lord 1965 has been one for the book of lifetime memoriesrdquo He
smiled at Kitty OrsquoHallorhan in the passengerrsquos seat ldquoFor all kindsof reasonsrdquo he said ldquoand now that the Downpatrick Races are over
itrsquos home to Ballybucklebordquo He accelerated
Kitty yelled ldquoWill you slow downrdquo then said more gently
ldquoFingal there are pedestrians and cyclists Irsquod rather not see any
in the ditchrdquo The afternoon sun highlighted the amber 1047298ecks in
her grey eyes She put slim fingers on his arm
ldquoJust for you Kittyrdquo He slowed and whistled ldquoSlow Boat toChinardquo ldquoAll right in the backrdquo
ldquoFine Fingalrdquo said OrsquoReillyrsquos assistant young Doctor Barry
Laverty
ldquoGrand sordquo Mrs Maureen ldquoKinkyrdquo Kincaid was OrsquoReillyrsquos
housekeeper as she had been for Doctor Flanagan Fingal had met
Kinky when hersquod come as an assistant to Thoacutemas Flanagan in 1938
Shersquod stayed on when a thirty-seven-year-old OrsquoReilly returned in
1946 from his service in the Second World War and bought the
general practice from Doctor Flanaganrsquos estate
Itrsquos a Long Long Road from Which
There Is No Return
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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18 Patrick Taylor
Theyrsquod been a good nineteen years he thought as he put the car
into a tight bend between two rows of ancient elms So had his
years as a medical student at Dublinrsquos Trinity College in the rsquo30sldquoJasus thundering Murphyrdquo OrsquoReilly stamped on the brake The
Rover shuddered to a halt five yards from a man standing waving
his arms
OrsquoReillyrsquos bushy eyebrows met He could feel his temper rise
and the tip of his bent nose blanch ldquoEveryone all rightrdquo he roared
and was relieved to hear a chorus of reassurance He hurled his
door open and stamped up the road ldquoWhat in the blue bloody
blazes are you doing standing there waving your arms like an out-
of-kilter semaphore I could have squashed you 1047298atter than a
1047298aming 1047298ounder-fishrdquo
The stranger wore Wellington boots moleskin trousers and a
hacking jacket He had a russet beard a squint and was no more
than five foot two OrsquoReilly expected him at least to take a stepback apologise but he stood his ground
ldquoTherersquos no need for youse rsquotil be losing the bap so therersquos not
Therersquos been an accident and Irsquom here to stop big buggers like
youse driving into it so I am See for yourselfrdquo He pointed to a knot
of people and the slowly rotating rear wheel of a motorbike that lay
on its side
ldquoAccidentrdquo said OrsquoReilly He spun on his heel ldquoBarry Grabmy bag and come hererdquo He turned back ldquoIrsquom Doctor OrsquoReilly
Doctor Lavertyrsquos comingrdquo
ldquoDoctor Thank God for that sir A motorcyclist took a purler
on an oil slick you know Somebodyrsquos gone for the ambulance and
policerdquo
ldquoHere you arerdquo Barry handed OrsquoReilly his bag ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo
ldquoMotorbike accidentrdquo He spoke to the short man ldquoYoursquod be
safer back down the road where drivers can see you before theyrsquore
on top of yourdquo
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A Dublin Student Doctor 19
ldquoRight enough Irsquoll go sirrdquo He started walking
OrsquoReilly yelled ldquoKitty Kinky Therersquos been an accident Stay
with the carrdquo Kitty would have the wit to pull the car over to theverge ldquoCome on Barryrdquo OrsquoReilly marched straight to the little
crowd Time to use the voice that could be heard over a gale when
hersquod served on the battleship HMS Warspite ldquoWersquore doctors Let
us throughrdquo
Ruddy-cheeked country faces turned Murmuring people shuf-
1047298ed aside and a path opened
A motorbike lay on the road an exclamation mark at the end of
two long black scrawls of rubber The engine ticked and the stink
of oil and burnt tyre hung over the smell of ploughed earth from a
field and the almond scent of whin 1047298owers
A middle-aged woman knelt beside the rider The victimrsquos
head was turned away from OrsquoReilly but there could only be one
owner of that red thatch A duncher lay a few yards away It irri-tated OrsquoReilly that Ulstermen wouldnrsquot wear crash helmets but
favoured cloth caps worn with the peak at the back
He knelt beside the woman and set his bag on the ground ldquoHersquos
unconscious hersquos breathing regular his airwayrsquos clear his pulse is
eighty and regular and hersquos not bleeding There donrsquot seem to
be any bones brokenrdquo she said and added ldquoIrsquom a first-aider you
knowrdquoldquoThank you Mrsrdquo
ldquoMeehan Rosie Meehanrdquo
OrsquoReilly smiled at her ldquoDonal Donalrdquo he said gently Fifteen
minutes ago hersquod seen Ballybuckleborsquos arch schemer Donal Don-
nelly riding the motorbike from the car park
No reply
OrsquoReilly grabbed the manrsquos wrist Good Mrs Meehan was right
the pulse was strong and regular ldquoDonalrdquo he said more loudly
ldquoDonalrdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 413
18 Patrick Taylor
Theyrsquod been a good nineteen years he thought as he put the car
into a tight bend between two rows of ancient elms So had his
years as a medical student at Dublinrsquos Trinity College in the rsquo30sldquoJasus thundering Murphyrdquo OrsquoReilly stamped on the brake The
Rover shuddered to a halt five yards from a man standing waving
his arms
OrsquoReillyrsquos bushy eyebrows met He could feel his temper rise
and the tip of his bent nose blanch ldquoEveryone all rightrdquo he roared
and was relieved to hear a chorus of reassurance He hurled his
door open and stamped up the road ldquoWhat in the blue bloody
blazes are you doing standing there waving your arms like an out-
of-kilter semaphore I could have squashed you 1047298atter than a
1047298aming 1047298ounder-fishrdquo
The stranger wore Wellington boots moleskin trousers and a
hacking jacket He had a russet beard a squint and was no more
than five foot two OrsquoReilly expected him at least to take a stepback apologise but he stood his ground
ldquoTherersquos no need for youse rsquotil be losing the bap so therersquos not
Therersquos been an accident and Irsquom here to stop big buggers like
youse driving into it so I am See for yourselfrdquo He pointed to a knot
of people and the slowly rotating rear wheel of a motorbike that lay
on its side
ldquoAccidentrdquo said OrsquoReilly He spun on his heel ldquoBarry Grabmy bag and come hererdquo He turned back ldquoIrsquom Doctor OrsquoReilly
Doctor Lavertyrsquos comingrdquo
ldquoDoctor Thank God for that sir A motorcyclist took a purler
on an oil slick you know Somebodyrsquos gone for the ambulance and
policerdquo
ldquoHere you arerdquo Barry handed OrsquoReilly his bag ldquoWhatrsquos uprdquo
ldquoMotorbike accidentrdquo He spoke to the short man ldquoYoursquod be
safer back down the road where drivers can see you before theyrsquore
on top of yourdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 513
A Dublin Student Doctor 19
ldquoRight enough Irsquoll go sirrdquo He started walking
OrsquoReilly yelled ldquoKitty Kinky Therersquos been an accident Stay
with the carrdquo Kitty would have the wit to pull the car over to theverge ldquoCome on Barryrdquo OrsquoReilly marched straight to the little
crowd Time to use the voice that could be heard over a gale when
hersquod served on the battleship HMS Warspite ldquoWersquore doctors Let
us throughrdquo
Ruddy-cheeked country faces turned Murmuring people shuf-
1047298ed aside and a path opened
A motorbike lay on the road an exclamation mark at the end of
two long black scrawls of rubber The engine ticked and the stink
of oil and burnt tyre hung over the smell of ploughed earth from a
field and the almond scent of whin 1047298owers
A middle-aged woman knelt beside the rider The victimrsquos
head was turned away from OrsquoReilly but there could only be one
owner of that red thatch A duncher lay a few yards away It irri-tated OrsquoReilly that Ulstermen wouldnrsquot wear crash helmets but
favoured cloth caps worn with the peak at the back
He knelt beside the woman and set his bag on the ground ldquoHersquos
unconscious hersquos breathing regular his airwayrsquos clear his pulse is
eighty and regular and hersquos not bleeding There donrsquot seem to
be any bones brokenrdquo she said and added ldquoIrsquom a first-aider you
knowrdquoldquoThank you Mrsrdquo
ldquoMeehan Rosie Meehanrdquo
OrsquoReilly smiled at her ldquoDonal Donalrdquo he said gently Fifteen
minutes ago hersquod seen Ballybuckleborsquos arch schemer Donal Don-
nelly riding the motorbike from the car park
No reply
OrsquoReilly grabbed the manrsquos wrist Good Mrs Meehan was right
the pulse was strong and regular ldquoDonalrdquo he said more loudly
ldquoDonalrdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 613
20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 713
A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 513
A Dublin Student Doctor 19
ldquoRight enough Irsquoll go sirrdquo He started walking
OrsquoReilly yelled ldquoKitty Kinky Therersquos been an accident Stay
with the carrdquo Kitty would have the wit to pull the car over to theverge ldquoCome on Barryrdquo OrsquoReilly marched straight to the little
crowd Time to use the voice that could be heard over a gale when
hersquod served on the battleship HMS Warspite ldquoWersquore doctors Let
us throughrdquo
Ruddy-cheeked country faces turned Murmuring people shuf-
1047298ed aside and a path opened
A motorbike lay on the road an exclamation mark at the end of
two long black scrawls of rubber The engine ticked and the stink
of oil and burnt tyre hung over the smell of ploughed earth from a
field and the almond scent of whin 1047298owers
A middle-aged woman knelt beside the rider The victimrsquos
head was turned away from OrsquoReilly but there could only be one
owner of that red thatch A duncher lay a few yards away It irri-tated OrsquoReilly that Ulstermen wouldnrsquot wear crash helmets but
favoured cloth caps worn with the peak at the back
He knelt beside the woman and set his bag on the ground ldquoHersquos
unconscious hersquos breathing regular his airwayrsquos clear his pulse is
eighty and regular and hersquos not bleeding There donrsquot seem to
be any bones brokenrdquo she said and added ldquoIrsquom a first-aider you
knowrdquoldquoThank you Mrsrdquo
ldquoMeehan Rosie Meehanrdquo
OrsquoReilly smiled at her ldquoDonal Donalrdquo he said gently Fifteen
minutes ago hersquod seen Ballybuckleborsquos arch schemer Donal Don-
nelly riding the motorbike from the car park
No reply
OrsquoReilly grabbed the manrsquos wrist Good Mrs Meehan was right
the pulse was strong and regular ldquoDonalrdquo he said more loudly
ldquoDonalrdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 613
20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 713
A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 613
20 Patrick Taylor
Donalrsquos face was chalky He wore his raincoat reversed and but-
toned over his back It was the practice of country men when rid-
ing motorbikes It stopped the wind of passage getting throughOrsquoReilly was hesitant to move Donal He could have a broken
neck Better to wait for the ambulance The first law of medicine
was Primum non nocere First do no harm OrsquoReilly bent lower
ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyelids 1047298uttered ldquoNumuhrdquo
Better OrsquoReilly thought Donal might only be concussed If
that were the case he should start regaining consciousness But
you could never be certain about head injuries The damage might
range from a simple concussion with complete recovery through
to serious brain injury leading to paralysis permanent brain dam-
age and even death OrsquoReilly gritted his teeth Donal had a new
wife and a wean on the way OrsquoReillyrsquos heart went out to the preg-
nant Julie Donnelly neacutee MacAteer He heard the nee-naw of anapproaching siren OrsquoReilly leant over ldquoDonalrdquo
Donalrsquos eyes 1047298ew open ldquoDoctor OrsquoReilly What are youse do-
ing hererdquo He struggled to rise ldquoI shouldnrsquot be in my bedrdquo
Donal recognised OrsquoReilly That was a good sign even if he was
unclear where he was OrsquoReilly put a restraining hand on the manrsquos
shoulder ldquoLie still You had an accidentrdquo
Donal put his hand to his head ldquoI must have hit my nut a rightclatterrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos pounding to beat Bannagher so it isrdquo
ldquoDo you know what day it isrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
Donal frowned ldquoUh Saturday We made a wheen of money on
the oul gee-gees at the racesrdquo He grinned like a small boy who had
answered the teacherrsquos question correctly ldquoAnd this herersquos the
road to Ballybucklebordquo A look of concern crossed his face ldquoJesus
is Paddy Reganrsquos motorbike all right Itrsquos only on loanrdquo Donal tried
to rise
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 713
A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 713
A Dublin Student Doctor 21
ldquoStay putrdquo OrsquoReilly said and smiled If Donal knew about
events immediately preceding his accident it was probable he
had suffered only a minor concussion Even so OrsquoReilly would neverforget a footballer whorsquod been knocked out recovered gone back
to finish the match and died from a brain haemorrhage two hours
later
The nee-naw nee-naw grew louder
ldquoI donrsquot need no ambulancerdquo Donal said ldquoIrsquom for going home
so I amrdquo
ldquoSorry Donalrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquobut yoursquoll be spending tonight
in the Royal Victoria Hospitalrdquo
ldquoOch Doctormdashthatrsquos daft Irsquove a motorbike to get back tomdashrdquo
ldquoThe Royal For observationrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoNo arguments
Irsquoll take care of the bikerdquo
ldquoButmdashrdquo
ldquoDonal yoursquore going to hospitalrdquo OrsquoReilly said as if speakingto a not overly bright child ldquoThatrsquos finalrdquo He stood and spoke to
Barry ldquoIrsquoll do a quick neurological exam once hersquos in the ambu-
lance Establish a baseline in case he gets worse Irsquoll go up to the
Royal with him Kittyrsquos the senior nursing sister on the neurosur-
gical ward there Shersquoll want to come too She can go with Donal
in the back of the ambulance God knows shersquos observed a hun-
dred times more head injuries than you and I put together Shersquollkeep an eye on him and warn me if his condition deteriorates You
drive Kinky and the Rover homerdquo
ldquoIrsquoll go and get Kittyrdquo Barry started to turn as a yellow North-
ern Ireland Hospitals Authority ambulance drew up and its siren
was turned off
ldquoIn a minuterdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoOnce the police have come and
done whatever they have to do measure things take photos and
statements theyrsquoll have you fill in forms When yoursquore done get
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 813
22 Patrick Taylor
them to give you a hand to load the bike into the boot of the Rover
At least Paddy Regan wonrsquot need to come all the way here to col-
lect itrdquoldquoPaddy Irsquoll let him knowrdquo Barry said
OrsquoReilly turned ldquoDo you hear that Donal Wersquoll get the bike
home for yourdquo
ldquoThanks Doc But what about Julie Shersquoll go spare if I donrsquot
get home toordquo
OrsquoReilly frowned ldquoYoursquove no phone Donal have yourdquo
ldquoNo sirrdquo
ldquoIrsquoll nip round and see Julierdquo Barry said ldquoTell her whatrsquos hap-
pened That shersquos not to worryrdquo
ldquoThanks Docrdquo
Barry turned to leave as two men approached wearing peaked
bus driversrsquo caps silver-buttoned blue uniforms and carrying a
stretcher The bigger one a burly open-faced man spoke to thefirst-aid lady ldquoWhatrsquos the story Rosierdquo Of course hersquod know her
Theyrsquod both be Downpatrick locals
She nodded at OrsquoReilly ldquoBetter ask your man there Alfie That
therersquos Doctor OrsquoReillyrdquo
The man turned to OrsquoReilly and grinned ldquoFrom Ballybuck-
lebo the wee village near Holywoodrdquo
ldquoThatrsquos right How did youmdashrdquo He frowned Alfie did look fa-miliar
ldquoI met you at a rugby game sirrdquo He pointed at Donal ldquoWhat
do you reckon about your manrdquo
ldquoHe came off the bike and hit his head He was unconscious for
a while but hersquos awake now Concussion at least and Irsquod like him in
the Royal for observation You know head injuries canmdashrdquo
ldquoI do know Too bloody wellrdquo The ambulance man frowned
ldquoMy brother God rest him got a smack on the nut with a hurley
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 913
A Dublin Student Doctor 23
ball He bled into his skull and diedrdquo There was a catch in Alfiersquos
voice ldquoHe was only nineteenrdquo
ldquoIrsquom sorryrdquo OrsquoReilly saidldquoAye wellrdquo Alfie tugged at his tie ldquoStanding here both legs the
same length wonrsquot get your man there to the Royal What do you
want us to do Docrdquo
ldquoBefore you move him Irsquoll give his fore and hind legs a once-
over Then I want you to take him me and Sister OrsquoHallorhan
shersquoll be here in a minute up to the Royal Wersquoll radio ahead to
arrange for him to be seen in casualty get things rolling then have
him admitted to the observation wardrdquo
ldquoRight Doc Come on Bertrdquo The ambulance men aligned their
stretcher alongside Donal as OrsquoReilly examined Donalrsquos arms and
legs through his clothes ldquoYoursquore right Mrs Meehan There are no
bones brokenrdquo he said and stepped back to let the attendants do
their work ldquoThank you Mrs Meehanrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoYou did agreat job Now go on home and get your teardquo
She smiled bobbed her head and left
OrsquoReilly climbed aboard the ambulance ldquoFor crying out loudrdquo
Donal said and tried to sit up ldquoThis is daft so it is Going to all
this trouble Sure couldnrsquot I just get the bikemdashrdquo
OrsquoReilly made a noise like an enraged gorilla one whose last
banana had been stolen ldquoFor the last time Donal Donnelly yoursquoregoing to the Royal This is not a bleeding debating societymdashso
shut up lie down and let me examine yourdquo
ldquoI will Doctor OrsquoReilly sirrdquo a clearly chastened Donal saidmdash
and did
Fingal satisfied himself that Donalrsquos re1047298exes were normal that
his pupils were equal in size and reacting to light his pulse was
strong and steady and his blood pressure was normal The only
worrying thing was a bruise over Donalrsquos right temple The parietal
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1013
24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
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24 Patrick Taylor
bone there was thin There was a chance the skull was fractured
OrsquoReilly didnrsquot need to reassure himself that getting Donal to hospi-
tal was the right thing to do The middle meningeal artery laybeneath the parietal bone OrsquoReilly climbed out to meet Kitty
Barry was providing information to a uniformed Royal Ulster
Constabulary offi cer The man had a heavy pistol in a hip holster
Good for Barry OrsquoReilly thought one less chore for me and frankly
the sooner we get Donal to hospital the happier Irsquoll be If his condi-
tion did deteriorate speed of intervention was critical
The second ambulance attendant climbed into the back and
offered his hand to Kitty
ldquoHop inrdquo OrsquoReilly said ldquoAll his baseline findings are normal
but please keep an eye on him Irsquoll be in the front so if he starts to
go downhill let me knowrdquo
ldquoI willrdquo she said taking the proffered hand
He watched her climb in and as she did so her skirt rode upGod but she had a well-curved calf OrsquoReilly thought but then he
grinned she always had
Barry finished with the offi cer ldquoThanks for seeing to that Barryrdquo
OrsquoReilly said ldquoYoursquoll have to look after the practice tomorrow too
because Lord knows what time Irsquoll get homerdquo
ldquoThatrsquos all rightrdquo
ldquoOff you trotrdquo OrsquoReilly noticed his bag where hersquod left it on theground ldquoTake my bag to the car while yoursquore at it The ambulance
will be fully equippedrdquo
Barry paused ldquoHow will you and Kitty get homerdquo
ldquoKitty lives only a short walk from the hospital Irsquoll get a train
Now go on Itrsquos time we were offrdquo
OrsquoReilly stuck his head into the ambulance ldquoEverything okay
Kittyrdquo
ldquoNo changerdquo
ldquoGoodrdquo As OrsquoReilly walked to the front of the ambulance the
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1113
A Dublin Student Doctor 25
last colours of the sunset 1047298ared and died A straggling clamour of
rooks 1047298apped untidily across the dimming horizon and Venus rose
a glittering forerunner of the myriad stars that would spangle theskyrsquos dark dome
He climbed into the passenger side and shut the cabrsquos door
ldquoHowrsquos about ye Docrdquo Alfie the driver asked
ldquoGrandrdquo said OrsquoReilly ldquoThe lad in the backrsquos a patient of minerdquo
And he thought as close to being a friend as Irsquoll let any of my pa-
tients be ldquoI think hersquoll be all rightrdquo
ldquoRightrdquo said the driver ldquoletrsquos get goingrdquo He switched on his
1047298ashing lights but not the siren put the vehicle in gear and started
for Belfast
ldquoCan we radio aheadrdquo OrsquoReilly asked ldquoLet the neurosurgery
people know wersquore comingrdquo
ldquoAye certainly sirrdquo The driver lifted a microphone depressed
a button and announced ldquoAmbulance despatch ambulance des-patch This is delta alpha two sixer overrdquo
In moments OrsquoReilly had relayed the details to the dispatcher
who would contact the neurosurgery registrar on call ldquoWho is the
senior neurosurgeon on call tonightrdquo Just in case and the thought
niggled at him just in case that bruise at the side of Donalrsquos head
was a sign of more ominous damage
ldquoMister Greer sirrdquo The voice from the speaker was distortedldquoThank you despatch Delta alpha two sixer Outrdquo OrsquoReilly
handed the mike back ldquoThank yourdquo he said
Charlie Greer He and OrsquoReilly went back to 1931 and that
wasnrsquot yesterday He hoped Donal would have no need of Char-
liersquos services but if Donal did deteriorate he couldnrsquot ask for a bet-
ter brain surgeon
ldquoHow long until we get to Belfastrdquo OrsquoReilly asked
ldquoAbout an hour and a halfmdashand if yoursquoll excuse me sir Irsquod bet-
ter concentrate on driving The roadrsquos twisty hererdquo
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1213
26 Patrick Taylor
OrsquoReilly said ldquoPay me no heedrdquo He sat staring through the
window as rays from the dome 1047298ashers 1047298ickered and the headlightsrsquo
beams picked out 1047298uttering moths the verges and hedges and drystone walls draped with straggling brambles He wondered about
Donal OrsquoReilly knew that no amount of worrying was going to help
anything Kitty would let him know if anything changed and if it
did Donal was well on his way to being in the hands of a bloody
good neurosurgeon Charles Edward Greer MD FRCS from
Ballymoney County Antrim A long time ago he had been a rugby-
playing medical student like OrsquoReilly at Trinity College Dublin
OrsquoReilly had met student nurse Kitty OrsquoHallorhan while he
and Charlie along with their friends Bob Beresford and Donald
Cromie and a nasty piece of work called Ronald Hercules Fitzpat-
rick who now practiced in the Kinnegar had been working in Sir
Patrick Dunrsquos Hospital Back in 1934
Hersquod been twenty-five years old and had completed nearly threeyears of his medical studies at Trinity College Dublin
Dublin had been richly described by the playwright Denis John-
ston as ldquoStrumpet city in the sunset So old so sick with memo-
riesrdquo The place had memories for OrsquoReilly all right
Trinity College with its Libraryrsquos Long Room wherein resided
the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp The pubs Davy Byrnes
the Bailey Nearyrsquos and the Stagrsquos Head Great broad OrsquoConnellStreet crossing Anna Livia the Dublinersrsquo name for the River Liffey
The tenement districts like the Liberties the Coombe and Monto
filthy squalid vermin-plagued but with indomitable inhabitants
OrsquoConnell Street and halfway up it Nelsonrsquos Pillar beside the Gen-
eral Post Offi ce from the steps of which Paacutedraig Pearse had read out
the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at Eastertide 1916 Its faccedilade
and Ionic columns were still pockmarked with British bullets from
the siege during the Rising
842019 A Dublin Student Doctor An Irish Country Novel
httpslidepdfcomreaderfulla-dublin-student-doctor-an-irish-country-novel 1313
BUY THE BOOK NOW
AmazonBarnes amp Noble
IndieBound
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
macmillancom
A DUBLIN STUDENT DOCTOR