Quick-thinking garda used shoelace to deliver baby during rush hour traffic

A quick-thinking garda used a shoelace to tie the umbilical cord of a baby born during morning rush hour at traffic lights near Galway City as the parents rushing to reach the University Hospital had to settle for a car seat birth instead.

Emma Miskell and her partner Sean Flynn from Cloondahamper, Lavally, Tuam realised that their speeding to the hospital was in vain, even with a Garda escort, when baby Darcy Mae arrived in the front seat of their car 4km away from the hospital.

Garda Claire Grenham, who was in the squad car driven by colleague Garda Brendan Owens, jumped out and used her shoelace to tie the baby’s umbilical cord while waiting for the arrival of an ambulance.