Send flowers to a patient at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar
Midland Regional Hospital is the public hospital for Westmeath and Longford, in Mullingar. Here is how to send flowers to a patient there.
The hospital
Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, known in Irish as Ospidéal Réigiúnach an Mhuilinn Chearr, is a public hospital in Mullingar, County Westmeath. It is managed by the Ireland East Hospital Group and serves the Longford-Westmeath area. The hospital was opened on 27 April 1936 by Seán T. O'Kelly, then Minister for Local Government and Public Health, under the name Westmeath County Hospital. It grew into the General Hospital, Mullingar, with major extensions in 1988 and 1993 to 1994. Today it provides 204 beds and 6 critical care beds, and it has an emergency department.
Mullingar is the county town of Westmeath, with 22,667 residents in the 2022 census, which makes it the third most populous town in the Midland Region. Other hospitals in the town include St Mary's, which cares for older people, and Charter Medical Private Hospital, so confirm which hospital the patient is in before you place an order.
A community that cares about its hospital
People in the Midlands feel strongly about the hospital. In June 2010 around 4,000 people marched in Mullingar when they were worried about the future of the services, and the town still takes pride in having a regional hospital close by. That gives a delivery to the ward a special meaning, because most patients are local and have family close at hand.
Ring before you send
The hospital has several wards, an emergency department and critical care beds, and each unit sets its own rules about flowers. Ring the hospital switchboard, ask for the ward and check whether bouquets are allowed. Intensive care and critical care units generally do not accept them. When you place your order, give the patient's full name and the ward, as the receptionist will otherwise struggle to find the right person, and make sure your own name is clearly written on the card.
If the ward cannot take flowers, send a card, a small plant or a book, or arrange a bouquet for the patient's home. A message with a few lines from every relative can be read out by a nurse or a visitor, and many patients keep these notes long after they leave hospital.
Which flowers work best
For a bedside, think small and cheerful. Gerberas, mini carnations and spray chrysanthemums last well and do not fill a small room with scent. If you are visiting a new mother or a patient who is recovering after a long illness, a bright, mixed bunch in a short vase is easy for staff to place. Lilies are best kept for the home, as strong scent can affect other patients on the ward.
Wrap the stems in paper rather than cellophane if you can, and ask the florist to include flower food. Hospital wards are warm, and fresh water every day helps the flowers last for a week.
Around Mullingar
Mullingar is surrounded by lakes. Lough Owel, Lough Ennell and Lough Derravaragh are visited by anglers, and Lough Derravaragh is linked with the legend of the Children of Lir. The Royal Canal flows through the town, and the Old Rail Trail, a 43-kilometre greenway, runs from the canal at Mullingar to the River Shannon at Athlone. Belvedere House and Gardens lie nearby and give the area its reputation for gardens.
The Cathedral of Christ the King was built in the 1930s and was dedicated on the day the Second World War began. It is the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath, and families from across the county gather there for funerals and other services, so a bouquet for a patient can be followed by a wreath at the cathedral if sadness comes.
When a patient comes home
A hospital stay is often followed by weeks of quiet recovery, and a bouquet to the house is a lovely way to mark the return. Add the Eircode and a mobile number, choose a delivery date once you know the discharge date, and write a card with a few words. If the patient lives in a country house outside Mullingar, give the townland and a landmark so the courier can find the gate.
Families who live abroad, a common situation in the Midlands, often order for a relative in the hospital, and a simple note such as thinking of you from all of us makes a big difference when you cannot visit in person.
Did you know? Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar was opened on 27 April 1936 as Westmeath County Hospital.
Frequently asked questions about flowers to Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar
Can I send flowers to a patient at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar?
Ring the hospital first and ask whether the ward accepts flowers. Intensive and critical care units generally do not. Give the patient's full name and the ward when you order.
Who runs Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar?
It is a public hospital managed by the Ireland East Hospital Group, and it serves the Longford-Westmeath area with 204 beds and 6 critical care beds.
Are there other hospitals in Mullingar?
Yes. St Mary's cares for older people and Charter Medical Private Hospital is a private hospital, so check the name with the family before ordering.
What can I send if flowers are not allowed?
Send a card, a small plant or a book, or order a bouquet for the patient's home after discharge, choosing a delivery date once you know when they will be back.