Tommy Bowe: my dash to the Royal after wife Lucy went into labour
HE has made many a sprint for the try line — but few dashes would have been as important to Tommy Bowe as that on Sunday morning.
Tommy and wife Lucy welcomed baby Emma Bowe who came across the line two-anda-half weeks early, surprising her parents.
Former Miss Wales Lucy gave birth to their 6lb 15oz daughter at 11am on Sunday at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital.
Despite his recent leg break during a cameo appearance against Wales in the Six Nations, Bowe (33) was able to drive his wife (28) the five-minute journey to the hospital on Sunday.
“Thankfully it was my left leg and I’ve an automatic car,” he laughed as he described the morning dash to the hospital maternity ward.
The Ireland and Lions winger said: “Lucy only went into labour at eight o’clock in the morning and Emma arrived at 11 o’clock, so it was very fast and really caught us by surprise.
“We weren’t expecting it to come so quickly but it was incredible. Everybody talks about their first baby going overdue and we weren’t really expecting things to come on so fast.
“The adrenaline just kicks in and it just worked out so well that Emma was born so quickly. We are just delighted, little baby Emma, she is just gorgeous.
“I just have to hand it to Lucy, she was incredible. You know, what women go through really puts everything into perspective. Lucy really was incredible, I couldn’t be more proud of her,” said the proud new father, who hails from Emyvale in Co Monaghan.
Praising the midwives and staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Bowe said: “They couldn’t have been more helpful, they were really brilliant.”