Midwife Bridget Bonar

My mother Bridget was born in Luinnagh, Gweedore on the 25.7.1922. She will have been 100 this year if she had lived. She died in 2007 aged 84 years after a lifetime of smoking and having no regrets. She was one of 12 children born to Maurice and Kate Friel (O’Donnell). The family house is still there. My grandmother Kate was a very enterprising woman who not only raised a large family, but she also ran the local grocery shop -or whatever was needed by the neighbours- in Luinnagh. She also looked after her father-in-law. Her husband spent 25 years in the Merchant Navy. She ran a big operation single handed. A really great woman indeed.

The influence of my grandmother was very strong on all of her children and no less on my mother Bridget. Grandmother ensured that they all got an education and were prepared to seek out the challenges the world of the 1930’s/ 40’s and 50’s presented.

In Bridget’s case, she was sent to train as a Midwife in the National Maternity Hospital in Holles St, Dublin. Her training programme lasted from 1942 to 1944 when she graduated as a Registered Midwife on the 8th June 1944.

I understand just from memory of discussions with my mother that she fairly quickly got a job as a Midwife based in Raphoe, Co. Donegal. The practice was based in Dr Doyle’s premises on the Diamond in Raphoe in a house located beside Moffot’s Shop on the Diamond. I think this house now belongs to James Barcley the Newsagents. My mother also stayed in this house right up to the time she got married in 1947. An interesting side story is that Dr Doyle eventually left Raphoe and became a Nun in the Medical Missionary Order based in Drogheda. She spent her life in Tanganykia (present day Tananzia) working as a Medical Doctor on one of the Medical Missionary Hospitals.

The work of the Midwife in the 1940’s was a difficult one in that she was required to turn out to support the needs of patients at all times of the day and night. While this on call arrangement was challenging in its own right, but to do so on a bicycle was very hard. On occasions, the patient’s family would supply transport, but many of the patients did not have the resources to do this, but the Midwife still had to respond regardless of the time of day or weather.

I do know that Bridget provided Midwifery care to a large number of babies born in the Raphoe/Convoy area. I have met many people over the years who said that my mother was responsible for their delivery.

Another interesting point about being a Midwife was how they were paid at this time. As far as I could see, they were self employed delivering a Midwifery practice. Where an expectant mother was sufficiently well off, they paid the Midwife as a private patient. In the case of patients who did not have they money, they were supported with a grant paid by the Local Authority.

My mother married my father (Redmond Bonar) in 1947. I was born in June 1948 and my sister Kathleen was born in 1949. She had seven children all together. It is my understanding that my mother didn’t practice as a Midwife very much after 1948. The lifestyle and family commitments prevented this. She did maintain her registration right thoughout her life and only ceased to be on the Nursing register in her 60’s.

My son Ray who worked as an Executive in the Nursing and Midwifery Board in the 1990’s, sought out and found Bridget’s entry on the nursing register in 1944 when she graduated. She was absolutely delighted to be presented with a copy of her registry entry after so many years by her eldest grandson

Written by Ray Bonar

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