Two Galway brothers help turn football pitch into hospital in 3 weeks

It took just three weeks for the new Nightingale Hospital in Jersey to be constructed from scratch – and two Galway brothers were among those who helped make it happen.

Mícheál and Máirtin Ó Cadhain from Na Doireadha, Baile na hAbhann found themselves working on the construction of the new NHS hospital after the company they work for was contracted to install the ventilation system.

In an interview with Áine Ní Bhreisleáin yesterday on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Mícheál said that C+L Industrial got their first enquiry on Good Friday, and things moved quickly from there.

“We had a few busy weeks getting everything together, Mícheál said. “We had to get equipment from Europe, and we had to gather material at home, and with everything happening it was hard to get everything in time…

“There was no room for delay at all, but thank God, everything worked out, and we’re basically finished here now.

“The biggest problem we had was that anyone coming into Jersey has to do two weeks quarantine – so we had to get a special permit from the government here to travel.”

Mícheál, who was speaking from Jersey in the Channel Islands, said that getting there was a challenge in itself because of the pandemic.

“We had the instruments and a lot of equipment to take over from Galway, so we had three vans. We had to bring them to Dublin… but we couldn’t go on the boat with them.

“We had to hand them over to them, because of all the COVID restrictions, and then we flew over,” he said.

Galway-based C+L Industrial was the only Irish company involved in the project – which was the third Nightingale hospital that has been built in the UK. It was handed over to the NHS earlier this week.

“They made the decision, in case it would be needed, to build it. They went looking for a suitable site to build… electricity was the main concern.  

“They couldn’t find a hall or anything that was built already that would work, so the football pitch was the most suitable site. It took them three weeks, from a football pitch to hospital.”

Mícheál said that they are currently commemorating 75 years since the Germans left the island, and that many of the older islanders remember that time when there were similar restrictions in place. The hospital in Jersey will now give reassurance to the community there, and allow the older people greater freedom.

“They think now that they may not need it, or they won’t have much need for it … if they don’t, all the better… It will give something back anyway to the community.  

“The older people will be allowed out more, and if anything happens, the hospital is there if it’s needed.”

Mícheál and his brother hope to be returning to Ireland on Friday.