Send flowers to Bantry General Hospital

Bantry General Hospital is a public hospital in the town of Bantry in West Cork, managed by the South/Southwest Hospital Group. Its origins lie in the Bantry Union Workhouse and Infirmary, designed by George Wilkinson and opened in 1845, and the present hospital was built on the same site in 1959. It has 104 beds, of which 80 are in-patient acute beds and 6 are reserved for acute day cases, with another 18 for psychiatric services. For people in West Cork, it is the local hospital, so flowers sent here are often for friends and neighbours.

Ring the ward first

Wards differ in what they allow. Some do not accept flowers, and others restrict them to small arrangements. Before ordering, call the hospital and ask for the ward where the patient is staying. Ask if flowers are welcome and where the florist should leave them. If you cannot get a clear answer, a card or a delivery to the home is a safe alternative.

What to include on the order

Give the patient's full name and the ward, along with the name of the hospital and the town. Add the date for delivery and a short message. If you know the patient's likes, tell the florist, because a small touch of colour can mean a great deal in a hospital room. Choose compact flowers that will fit on a bedside locker.

Bantry and the surrounding area

Bantry lies at the head of Bantry Bay, a deep-water gulf extending 30 km to the west, with the Beara Peninsula to the north-west and the Sheep's Head peninsula to the south-west. The focus of the town is Wolfe Tone Square, where a weekly market is held. Bantry House, west of the town, has been the home of the White family since 1739 and is surrounded by formal gardens. The West Cork Chamber Music Festival and the West Cork Literary Festival take place in the town each summer.

Visitors from the peninsulas

Many patients and visitors travel long distances from places such as Durrus, the Beara Peninsula and Sheep's Head, so a delivery arranged by a friend living far away is a real kindness. The ward staff understand that visitors may only have a short window. Send flowers on a day when you know the patient will be there, and avoid days when a procedure is planned.

Flowers that suit a hospital room

A low arrangement with gentle scents is best. Avoid strongly perfumed flowers in shared rooms, and avoid anything that would be hard for staff to move. If the patient has allergies, check with the family. A potted plant, such as a small orchid, lasts well beyond the hospital stay and can be taken home.

Alternatives to flowers

If flowers are not permitted, send a card, a magazine or a puzzle book. A letter in the post is easily forgotten by the sender but treasured by the reader. For a family caring for a patient far from home, a meal or a lift is often the most useful gift.

After the stay

When the patient is home, send flowers with a note to say that you are thinking of them. A bunch from the hedgerow is lovely, but a hand-tied bouquet from a florist will keep longer. Choose a date a few days after discharge, so that the flowers do not arrive in the middle of a busy homecoming.

Getting the message across

A card in a hospital is often read several times, so make it count. Name the person who sent it, say what you hope for them and add something that will make them smile, such as a joke you share or a memory of the bay in summer. If you are sending from abroad, mention where you are, because relatives in West Cork often love to hear that people far away are thinking of them. Keep the message to a few lines so the florist can fit it on the card.

Did you know? Bantry House has been home to the White family since 1739 and is surrounded by formal gardens.