Quins back on Late Late
A very special Wexford mother, Veronica Cassidy of Bridgetown who gave birth to Ireland’s only quintuplets in the Rotunda Hospital 15 years ago, was the toast of the Late Late Show on RTE television last weekend.
Veronica appeared on the programme with her husband Kevin and their miracle children Conor, Cian, Rory, Amy and Dearbhaill and was told by presenter Ryan Tubridy: ‘I’m exhausted just looking at you.’
The quins who are now in Junior Cert year in Bridgetown College, made their entrance in single file onto the Late Late set to a fanfare of music and rapturous applause.
It wasn’t their first appearance on the show as they featured on the Late Late as babies during former presenter Pat Kenny’s time.
Fifteen years of milestones later, Veronica and Kevin recalled the rollercoaster journey of the extraordinary pregnancy and the quins’ early lives.
‘Everytime we went for a scan, they discovered another baby. I was afraid to go for any more scans to be honest,’ said Kevin to laughter from his children and the audience.
It was a very nervous time for the couple after they were told the chances of any their babies surviving was very slim but they defied all medical expectations and were born in August 2001 at 25 weeks weighing between 1.5lbs and 1.11lbs. However, it was still touch and go for a few months afterwards, as Kevin explained.
Looking back at old Late Late footage of her five children, Veronica said she can’t believe how they have come on and grown. ‘What’s it like looking at that now’, Ryan Tubridy asked. ‘It’s great. It’s a good news story, happy days,’ said Veronica.
The couple thanked staff at the Rotunda Hospital for the vital care given to the quins when they were infants and also their neighbours and extended community in Bridgetown for their assistance when they came home.
‘ The neighbours and community came together and organised a rota. Morning and evening they had a group in to help with the changes and feeds and medicine,’ said Kevin.
Veronica said she doesn’t remember much about the first two years of the quins’ lives as she was so busy and they were sick and in and out of hospital quite a lot. The proud Wexford mother said her teenage children have a great connection with each other.
The quins said the question they are most asked is - what’s it like to be a quintuplet- but they dont’t know any different as they don’t have anything to compare it with. Tubridy wished them good luck in their forthcoming exams. He presented Veronica with a bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day and a voucher for her and Kevin to enjoy a weekend away....without the children.