‘Her loss has left a hole in our hearts’: Family settle case over death of mother of four in Dublin hospital
Speaking outside Court today, David O’Malley, Medical Negligence solicitor at Callan Tansey, called for “an audit of St. Vincent’s University Hospital of bleeding incidents and management of same”.
Eilis Cronin Walsh, 49, from, Ballina, Co Mayo, died at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin on October 17, 2021. Systems analysis review later concluded had the abnormal blood test result been acted upon when processed, it is likely the cardiovascular collapse of Ellis Cronin Walsh — who was recovering from surgery at St Vincent’s, would have been avoided.
The family’s counsel, Joe Brolly BL instructed by our David O’Malley, told the court the family were deeply agonised by Eilis’s death, He said St Vincent’s Hospital had made a public apology over the woman’s death at the inquest last year.
‘Her loss has left a hole in our hearts that will never heal’
In a family statement outside court, Ms Cronin-Walsh’s son Kevin, flanked by his father James and brother Kyle, said in a family statement that his mother had died alone, over 200km from her family and home, with strangers by her side.
“We speak today not just for our own grief, but so that no other family has to endure what we have. We honour her memory, and we demand accountability,” he said. “Eilis’s life mattered. Her story must be heard. Her death must lead to change.”
“Her loss has left a hole in our hearts that will never heal. Every day since, we have felt the emptiness she left behind — the birthdays, the milestones, the ordinary moments we can never share. The heartbreak and trauma of losing her in this way have shaped every part of our lives.”
He added “Eilis was a loving mother, a devoted wife to our father, and a person who always put others first. She had a heart full of love and a spirit that touched everyone around her, a truly wonderful human being.”
For more information on the original case, see Verdict of Misadventure in Post-Operative Haemorrhage Case or visit Medical Negligence Inquests to find out more about what inquests are and what their purpose is.