Newborn omen in FG/Labour (ward) coalition

IS it an omen for a Fine Gael/Labour coalition as the next Government?

Two political fathers who proudly cradled their newborn babies certainly believe it is.

Senator Michael McCarthy (Labour) and Councillor Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) celebrated both births on St Valentine’s Day at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

Another coincidence is that the babies’ mothers, Nollagh McCarthy and Catherine Lombard, are midwife colleagues.

Also, for both couples it was their second child.

Cllr Lombard’s wife was first to go into labour, delivering a baby girl at 7.09am, who weighed in at 8lb 1oz. Her sister, Ellen, is 15 months old.

“I was sitting in the coffee room later on and in came Michael. He said he was under a bit of pressure and then explained why. We had a great chat,” Mr Lombard said.

At one minute past midday Senator McCarthy’s wife delivered a bouncing 9lb 1oz baby boy, who has a 19-month-old brother, Odhran.

Neither of the couples have yet decided on names for their offspring.

Senator McCarthy, who lives in Dunmanway, had to come off the campaign trail and will be off it for a few days to be with his wife and new child, who he said “were doing very well, thank God.”

He’s contesting a seat for the Labour Party in Cork South West and members of his family will take his place on the canvass for the next few days.

“There is an awful lot in common between these two births, so it could well be an omen for a future government coalition,” the senator said.

Cllr Lombard agreed. “We’re both politicians who know each other well, our wives both had babies on the same day and we now both have two children. There’s a lot of coincidences, so I think it could be an omen as well,” the councillor said.

“It must be nearly impossible for Senator McCarthy to try and manage canvassing and look after his wife and baby at the same time,” a sympathetic Cllr Lombard added.