Mrs Patricia Grey in Hospital

17th August 1967; Mrs Patricia Grey, Newcastle on Tyne, in St Catherine's Hospital, Tralee after a road accident on the Derrymore Road. Mrs Grey was on holiday in Blennerville with her husband and four children when their van collided with a tractor-drawn cock-lifter. A six foot long spike from the cock-lifter pierced the front of the van and went through Mrs Grey's leg to a depth of three feet. Two ambulances and a medical team under surgeon Colm Galvin from the County Hospital administered an anaesthetic to Mrs Grey on the roadside. Dr Galvin and two assistants then slowly drew the two inch thick spike from the patient's leg. The fire brigade was called initially because it was thought that the spike would have to be cut from the tractor before it could be removed from Mrs Grey's leg. This action was not taken because it was felt that the heat from the cutter would cause extra injury and pain to the patient. Mrs Grey was then taken to St Catherine's Hospital for further surgery.