Send flowers to St Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire

About the hospital St Michael's Hospital, in Irish Ospidéal Naomh Micheál, is a public hospital in Dún Laoghaire, the coastal town on the southside of Dublin that is the administrative centre of the county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It is managed by the Ireland East Hospital Group and has been part of the St Vincent's Healthcare Group since 2001, alongside St Vincent's University Hospital and St Vincent's Private Hospital.

The hospital was designed by John L. Robinson and founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1876. That history is why many local families, over several generations, have a personal connection to it, and why a visit here often has a personal tone. A gift of flowers is a warm way to show you are thinking of a patient.

The setting in Dún Laoghaire Dún Laoghaire grew up around a harbour, built from 1817 after the loss of two troopships on the rocks in 1807, and was named Kingstown after the 1821 visit of George IV until it regained its name in 1920. Ireland's first railway, from Westland Row in Dublin, opened to the town on 17 December 1834. Today it is a seaside suburb with a rail link to the city, so many visitors arrive by train.

If you plan to visit with flowers, think about the walk from the station and the weight of what you carry. Many people prefer to have flowers delivered rather than carry them on a bus or train, which is where a delivery to the ward is helpful, as long as the ward permits it.

Checking the rules first Wards at any hospital set their own rules about flowers. Some units do not take any, some limit them to small arrangements and some ask that nothing be brought to a patient who is unwell or has a weakened immune system. Ring the ward and ask three things: whether flowers are accepted, whether they are handed to the patient or left at a desk, and what times deliveries can be received.

Then give the order the patient's full name, the ward, the hospital name and the Dún Laoghaire address the ward gives you. Include your own phone number in case the staff need to confirm anything. If the patient has been moved since you last spoke to the family, update the ward before ordering, because a wrong ward is the most common cause of a missed delivery.

What to send A small, light arrangement on a locker is a better fit than a large bouquet. Choose gentle scents, because strongly fragrant lilies or hyacinths can be tiring for someone who is unwell and for the other patients nearby. Soft, bright colours such as yellow, peach and pale pink lift the mood.

Include a short card in your own words. Older patients often appreciate a handwritten note more than anything else, so consider adding a few lines about a shared memory.

When flowers are not an option If the ward does not allow flowers, you can send them to the patient's home for when they return, send a small plant if the ward accepts it, or choose a card, a book or a treat that is allowed. Another idea is to send flowers to a relative who is spending long days at the bedside.

Since a stay can end sooner than expected, tell the florist if the patient leaves early so the flowers can be redirected to the right address.

Difficult times If the patient is very unwell or the family is grieving, a short message often means more than a large arrangement. When someone has died, follow the death notice on rip.ie, which will say whether the family welcomes flowers or would prefer a Mass card or a donation. Funerals usually follow within two or three days, so ask the family or funeral director where to send flowers.

Did you know? St Michael's Hospital was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1876.