Send flowers to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown
Connolly Hospital is a teaching hospital in Blanchardstown, Fingal. Before you order, phone the ward to check what is allowed, then address the delivery carefully.
The hospital and where it is Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, known in Irish as Ospidéal Uí Chonghaile Baile Bhlainséir, is a teaching hospital in Blanchardstown, a large suburb about ten kilometres north-west of Dublin city centre, in the county of Fingal. It sits in the Dublin 15 postal area. It is part of the RCSI Hospitals group and provides clinical teaching for the graduate entry medicine programme of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Knowing the setting helps with planning a visit. Blanchardstown is the largest urban area in Fingal, and the Blanchardstown Centre there is one of Ireland's largest shopping and leisure complexes, so a card or a small gift is easy to find. Parking at busy hospitals can be limited, so allow extra time.
How the hospital grew The hospital was designed as a tuberculosis sanatorium and was opened in 1955 as the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, named in memory of the Irish republican leader. Once effective antibiotics were introduced it was redesignated as a general hospital for the north-west of Dublin and reopened in that role in 1973. In 2005 a new accident and emergency unit, new operating theatres and a new intensive care unit were opened, and the name changed to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.
A hospice under the care of the Daughters of Charity was completed on lands at Abbotstown in April 2011, and in summer 2019 a satellite facility for the New Children's Hospital, providing outpatient services and an urgent care centre, opened. With several services in play, confirm the unit and ward with the family before you send anything.
Check before you order Hospital wards differ a great deal. Some accept flowers without difficulty, some allow only certain types and some ask visitors not to bring any, especially in intensive care and in units for patients with weak immune systems. The rules also change over time, so the most reliable step is to ring the ward and ask. Say who you want to send flowers to, and ask whether they are allowed, who receives them and when deliveries can be accepted.
Give the delivery the patient's full name and the exact ward, along with the hospital name and Dublin 15 address details the ward gives you. A first name alone, or a wrong ward, is the most common reason for a failed delivery, particularly if the patient has been moved between units. If you do not know the ward, ask a family member rather than guessing.
What to choose when flowers are allowed Pick a compact arrangement that fits on a locker, because bed-side space is small. Choose flowers with a light scent, since strong perfume can bother patients and others on the ward, and avoid pollen-heavy stems such as lilies if anyone nearby may have allergies. A low arrangement in a container with water already provided is easier for nursing staff than a long-stemmed bouquet that needs a vase.
Cheerful colours lift the mood after surgery or a long stay: yellow, peach and soft pink are favourites. Add a short card with your name and a kind message in your own words.
If flowers are not allowed Many patients cannot have flowers on their ward at all, and you still have options. You can send the flowers to the patient's home, ready for when they are discharged, which is a lovely way to welcome someone back after a long stay. A potted plant in a small pot is sometimes accepted where cut flowers are not, but check first. A card, a book, a puzzle or a small treat that the patient is permitted to have can also work.
If you are sending a gift to a family member who is visiting a patient rather than to the patient themselves, a bouquet delivered to their home with a note of support can be just as welcome, since many relatives spend long days at the hospital.
Sympathy and difficult times If the patient is seriously ill or a family is facing a bereavement, a simple message matters more than an elaborate arrangement. Avoid anything that could be mistaken for a funeral tribute unless you know that is what the family wants. If a patient has died, follow the notice on rip.ie, which will say whether the family would like flowers or prefer donations and Mass cards.
When you place the order, choose a delivery date that matches your phone call to the ward, and keep the recipient's details handy. If the patient is discharged earlier than expected, tell the florist as soon as you can so the flowers can be redirected to the home address.
Did you know? Connolly Hospital opened in 1955 as the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, a sanatorium for tuberculosis, and became a general hospital in 1973.
Frequently asked questions about flowers to Connolly Hospital
Can I send flowers to Connolly Hospital?
Often yes, but it depends on the ward. Phone the ward first, then give the patient's full name, the ward and the hospital address.
What should I put on the delivery for a patient?
Use the patient's full name, the ward, the hospital name and Dublin 15 details, plus a phone number for you, so the staff know where to take the flowers.
Which flowers are best for a hospital ward?
A small, lightly scented arrangement that fits a locker. Avoid strongly fragrant stems and anything very large, since space beside a bed is limited.
What if flowers are not allowed on the ward?
Send them to the patient's home for when they are discharged, or choose a card or small gift that the ward permits. Check with the ward first.