State Papers: Young pregnant woman died with baby after being denied hospital bed

A letter noted that the head nurse, who subsequently resigned, 'gave a preference to paying patients in arranging for admission to the single bed wards of the hospital'

A letter said the minister would only give his approval to accept fees from patients if there were regulations in place which would limit the number of beds set apart for fee-paying patients 'and also that they give poor persons first claim on all the beds in the hospital'. File photo

State papers released by the National Archives have revealed details of the horrific death of a young pregnant woman who died along with her baby after being denied admission to a hospital in Mayo over 80 years ago due to a supposed lack of beds.

Confidential documents detail how Ann “Annie” Duffy died on February 27, 1941 at Mayo County Hospital in Castlebar two days after she had been refused admission on several occasions to Ballina District Hospital after developing complications in labour.