'I became very ill,' well-known Tipperary politician rushed to hospital by ambulance

Sinn Féin's Cllr Annemarie Ryan has said she is recovering at home after being taken ill during Christmas week and spending five nights in Clonmel Hospital.

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“On Christmas week I suddenly became very ill and was taken by ambulance to Clonmel Hospital, where I stayed for five nights,” she said, adding that she “missed most of Christmas” but is now “home and on the mend”.

On December 31, Cllr Ryan paid tribute to the healthcare workers who cared for her during her hospital stay, describing a “welcoming multi-cultural caring environment”.

“In hospital, I was looked after by so many kind people, from all corners of the world,” she said. “Each & everyone that played a part in my recovery treated me with care & respect. I was vulnerable & sick and I trusted them to care for me, which they did in a professional and non judgemental manner.”

She said she met staff “from Tipp, Dublin, India, Pakistan, Poland, the UK, the Philippines and Dubai”.

Cllr Ryan also thanked emergency services who assisted her before she arrived at hospital.

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“I also want to thank the two brilliant ambulance drivers that took care of me when I was at my worst, along with the Bansha Community First Responders who calmly reassured me & my family, while waiting for the ambulance,” she said.

After returning home, she said her family marked the season together.

“We had our belated Christmas dinner and then played games in the sitting room. It felt good,” she said.

Reflecting on the experience, Cllr Ryan said it reinforced important life lessons.

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“If I've learned anything from this experience, it's look after your health, don't sweat the small stuff, love your family & friends and that people are inherently kind,” she said.

She concluded by wishing people well for the year ahead, saying: “Happy New Year everyone, have a safe and healthy 2026.”