Midwife Mary Ellen Coppinger
Interview with her daughter Mary Dolan from Moylough.
Emma Laffey
Midwife Mary Ellen Coppinger, Moylough, Co. Galway
Mary Ellen cycled her bike through every byway of the hinterland and delivered all of her babies at home. Where a baby needed extra medical treatment they were often sent to Tuam Hospital in a little shoebox. She also attended to the needs of traveller community women for their births. When their time was nearing the traveller family would camp up in an area known as “Black Corner”, in Cloonoran near Moylough.
Mary Ellen was approached by Mary Mannion from Moylough Social Services to write an article on her life and times as a midwife and this invaluable contribution is contained the book, In a Lifetime.
Mary Ellen is fondly remembered by her community and passed away on 19th December 2010 at the great age of 91.
To read more on Mary Ellen’s story you can read in the An Bhean Ghlúine ebook on the website. To hear Mary Ellen’s daughter, Mary Dolan, chatting with Emma Laffey for the An Bhean Ghlúine Project click on the link in the gallery.
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