Send flowers to a patient at Bon Secours Hospital, Galway
Bon Secours Hospital is a private hospital in Renmore, on the east side of Galway. A short guide to visiting rules and the best way to send flowers.
Where the hospital is
Bon Secours Hospital, Galway is a private hospital in Renmore, a suburb about 2 kilometres east of Galway city centre. Its address is Renmore, Co. Galway, with the Eircode H91 KC7H. Renmore runs along the coast, south of the Old Dublin Road, between Lough Atalia and Lurgan Park, and the hospital is one of the largest buildings in the area. Because it sits in a residential suburb, deliveries to the hospital are straightforward, though parking can be busy at visiting time.
The hospital is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, which also runs hospitals in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Tralee. It was built in 1954 as Calvary Hospital and was run by the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary until 1985. After a short closure it reopened in 1986 as Galvia Private Hospital, and the Bon Secours Health System bought it in 1998.
Size and services
Today the hospital has 120 beds, including 22 day-case beds, and four operating theatres. It sees more than 18,000 patients a year, made up of around 6,000 in-patients and 12,000 day cases. Services include cardiology, endoscopy, physiotherapy, respiratory medicine, occupational therapy and radiology. In April 2024 the hospital announced plans for a 36.5 million euro expansion, with more theatres and endoscopy rooms.
That balance of in-patients and day cases matters when you plan a gift. A day-case patient goes home on the day of the procedure, so a bouquet sent to the hospital may miss them. For anyone having a short procedure it is usually better to send the flowers to the house, timed for the following day or two.
Visiting rules from the hospital
The hospital's visitor guide states that visiting is not permitted after 9 pm, and that no more than one visitor per patient is permitted at any time. Children under 12 are not allowed to visit patient care areas, although they may visit the restaurant under supervision, and the nurse in charge can grant exceptions. All visitors must sanitise their hands on arrival.
With only one visitor allowed per patient, a bouquet can be a way for the rest of the family to be there in spirit. Add a note with everyone's names, and the patient will have something to show the nurses and other callers.
Before you place an order
Ring the ward first and ask whether flowers are accepted, since rules vary between units. Intensive care and some specialist areas do not take them, and a single room can be small. Give the patient's full name and the ward when you order, and make it clear on the card who the flowers are from.
If flowers are not allowed, consider a card, a book, a small plant or a gift of fruit if the patient's diet allows it. Ask the family before you buy anything edible. A bouquet delivered to the home address after discharge is another option, and one that many people prefer, because the flowers then stay fresh for the first week at home.
Choosing flowers for a hospital room
Compact arrangements are best in a hospital. A low hand-tied bunch of gerberas, freesias and spray roses fits a bedside locker, and none of them gives off a strong scent. Lilies are lovely but heavily perfumed, so keep them for the home. White and cream roses feel calm, while yellow and orange stems lift the mood for someone who has been in bed all week.
Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, had knee surgery at this hospital in December 2011, a reminder that it looks after patients from all walks of life.
Getting to Renmore
Flannery's Hotel is directly across the road from the hospital, which suits families who travel from a distance. If you are visiting in person, bring a small bag with a bunch of flowers wrapped in paper and check at reception before going up. A hand-tied bouquet in paper is easier to carry than boxed arrangements, and staff can find a vase for them quickly.
For deliveries, a florist or courier will bring the order to the reception desk, where it is passed on to the ward. Choose a delivery date that matches the admission date, and add a mobile number in case the courier needs to check which ward the patient is in.
Did you know? Bon Secours Hospital, Galway was built in 1954 as Calvary Hospital and became Galvia Private Hospital in 1986 before the Bon Secours Health System bought it in 1998.
Frequently asked questions about flowers to Bon Secours Hospital, Galway
What are the visiting rules at Bon Secours Hospital, Galway?
The hospital's visitor guide says visiting is not permitted after 9 pm, only one visitor per patient is allowed at any time, and children under 12 may not visit patient care areas.
Can I send flowers to a day-case patient?
Day-case patients usually go home on the day of the procedure, so flowers are often better sent to the house for the following day or two. Ring the ward if you are unsure.
Where exactly is the hospital?
It is in Renmore, about 2 kilometres east of Galway city centre, with the Eircode H91 KC7H.
Which flowers are best for a hospital room?
Compact, lightly scented arrangements of gerberas, freesias and spray roses work best. Keep strongly scented lilies for the home, and ring the ward to check that flowers are allowed.