Physio Ann retires after 50 years
PATIENTS, colleagues and friends gathered in the Moasterboice Inn recently to wish Physiotherapist Ann Burton well as she retired after almost 50 years in the business.
Ann had a long a varied career in Physiotherapy and worked for a number of years with the Meath senior team.
It was a marvellous night, I really enjoyed it,’ Ann told the Drogheda Independent. ‘
THose in attendnace included doctors and consultants, secretaries and physiotherapists Ann has worked with down through the years as well as patients and Pilates clients.
‘ The reason I had the party was to thank people for their kindness and support through the years because without them there was no business,’ she said. ‘ The big thing was I never considered them as patients, they were all friends.’
Former Meath Manager Sean Boylan spoke on the night, as did Gerry Comyn who spoke on behalf of local GPs and consultants and Ann herself said a few words.
Ann sold her business, Burton’s Physiotherapy Clinic in Tullyallen, last September but remained on until December.
Originally from Dublin, Ann trained in UCD and the Mater before taking up her first job in the Louth Hospital in Dundalk.
‘I worked there for a while but as my children grew up I reallised I was torn between my job and my children,’ explained Ann. ‘I opened a very small practice in Dundalk before we moved to Beauparc and I opened the practice in Beauparc in 1979.’
It was while running her clinic in Beauparc that Ann became involved with the Meath team.
‘I was giving a basic First Aid course in pitch side management and Mattie Kerrigan, one of the Minor team managers and team mentors, was at it. Afterwards he approached me and asked if they had any problems with the Minors could he send tehm over to me and then the following year they asked me to be team physio,’ said Ann, who now lives in Ardee.
‘ Three years later, in 1983, when Sean Boylan took over the Senior Team, he asked me would I join as the team physiotherapist.’
Ann took on the role at a time when there were very few female physiotherapists working in Ireland and fewer still involved in Sports Physiotherapy.
‘It was a fantastic role and we had marvellous times. I got a marvellous education in sports medicine and plenty of practice. I also started Physio for the Leinster provisional team and that was all due to that involvement with Meath.’
Over the years, Ann treated players from as far afield as Down, Leitrim, Monaghan and Louth and Meath who all came to the clinic for treatment because there were so few Sports Physiotherapists around.
‘ There was one in Drogheda was was retiring at that stage and the next closest would have been Blanchardstown and Banbridge for private practice.’
Ann qualified in 1968 and revealed Physiotherapy was her second choice as she had originally planned to follow in her father’s footsteps and do accountancy.
However, a colleague who worked with her Dad had other ideas.
‘ The accountant in my father’s practice said ‘I don’t think it’s a proper job for a woman. I’m very glad things worked out the way they did because to my very last patient I was able to say I thoroughly enjoyed my job. I was very, very lucky.’
After selling the business in Beauparc, Ann opened Burton’s Physiotherapy Clinic in Tullyallen in 2008 where she expanded the business to include classes as well as treatment.
‘I trained in Pilates and that was a great success as well, they were great fun and something that was badly needed,’ said Ann. ‘We had a wide range of ages taking part; I had one lady in her 80s doing the pilates classes. She said she wanted to keep going and not get stiff.’
Ann was joined at the party by her three of her four daughters Lara Burton Cassidy, Anita Halpenny and Michelle Burton. Her fourth daughter, Audrey Quigley lives in New Zealand.
Both Lara and Audrey have followed their Mum into Physiotherapy - Lara is the head of Physiotherapy in Navan Hospital and Audrey has her own practice in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Whilst it was difficult to say goodbye to all her loyal patients, Ann is very much looking forward to her retirement.
‘I was sad leaving but I’m looking forward to having more time to do different things with my family and my grandchildren,’ she said. ‘I felt after 50 years of practice it was time to stop. I’m well and I want to have time to enjoy my retirement but of course I’ll miss everyone.’