A happy New Year on the double

THEY wanted a baby girl — God gave them two.

2004 was just a minute old when it welcomed its first arrival - a twin girl, born to an Armenian couple.

Rosanna and Ashot Kygynyn, who have lived in Ireland for three and a half years, were doubly delighted when their second twin daughter arrived safe and sound seven minutes later at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street.

The couple, who live in Elm Mount Road, Beaumont, Dublin, already have three young children. "We wanted a little girl but God gave us two. Our happiness is overflowing," said Ashot

Ashot said their three-year-old daughter, Melanie, was delighted that she now had two little sisters Natalie, who arrived first and Angela who followed minutes later.

"Melanie had been asking her mother for a sister. Now she has two. She is a very happy little girl," said Ashot, who will open his news agency, also located in Beaumont, for business for the first time on Monday.

The couple also have two sons, Shora, seven, and 13-month-old David.

The hospital's assistant matron, Mary Purcell, said, the twin girls were delivered normally."We had a busy day yesterday (Wed) but it slackened off in the evening and we did not think we would have a New Year baby, let alone two," said Ms Purcell

She explained that Rosanna arrived in the hospital just before midnight and her babies arrived shortly afterwards. Natalie weighted 3kg/6lb 6oz while Angela weighed 2.60kg/5lb 7oz

"We are traditionally very busy on Christmas night and very quiet on New Year's Eve. I don't know how it happens but it does," said Ms Purcell.

The first New Year baby at University College Hospital Galway arrived at 12.08am.

The baby girl, born to Siobhán and Noel Carroll from Ballybrit, Galway City, weighed 3.92kg/8lb 6oz.

It was 12.47am before the first baby was born at Purtiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, a girl (4.75kg/10lb 5oz) to married couple Caroline Dignan and Michael Brennan from Frenchpark, Co Roscommon.

At Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, it was 4.30am before baby Erika (3.5kg/7lb 7oz) was born to David and Rachel Smith from Ballina.

The first baby born in Cork was a boy who arrived at 1.48am in the Erinville Hospital, to the delight of mother Claire Haseldine from Schull.

Mags Roberts, a mother of four from Drimoleague, was the first to give birth at St Finbarr's Hospital with a baby girl who arrived at 3.14am and who weighed 3.4kg/ 7lb 5oz.

The maternity ward at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny was quiet until the early hours of New Year's morning with the first 2004 baby delivered at 7.42am.

The baby girl, Karen, was born to Rosemary Shiels from Crettyard in Carlow.

Just 20 minutes into the new year, Paul and Niamh Savage from Bridge Hill, Faithlegg, Co Wexford, were celebrating the birth of their daughter at Waterford Regional Hospital. The little girl, who has yet to be named, weighed 3.2kg/7lb 1oz

Limerick's first New Year baby was born at 5.59am to Bernadette and James Vaughan, Main Street, Broadford, Co Clare, at Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital. Bernadette's bouncing baby girl weighed in at 8lb 9oz. The family have one other child.

The hospital's second New Year baby, a 7lb 7oz baby boy, was born to Tina and Dermot Hanrahan of Castletroy, Limerick.