NEWS SPECIAL - The story behind the "Save Waterford" campaign

IT’S THREE days after 15,000 people, widely described as Middle Ireland, took to the streets of Waterford City to make known their opposition to a proposed downgrading of their hospital.

I’m having coffee with the architects of that massive display of community spirit and solidarity: two ordinary women who two weeks ago were living very ordinary lives.

Andrea Galgey, a single mother, was busy trying to balance rearing her three boys with her work on a CE scheme at Kilkenny and studying for a degree in community development.