The gardaí have appealed for the mother of a baby girl who was found abandoned in a hospital car-park yesterday to come forward, writes Christine Newman.
The baby is reported to be in good health but gardaí have expressed concern about the health of the mother.
The baby who is approximately three days old was found yesterday just after 1 p.m.
She was in a blue hold-all which had been placed on the boot of a car in the car-park of the South Infirmary.
The baby was later taken to Cork University Hospital. A Garda spokeswoman said they were concerned about the health of the baby's mother and appealed for her to come forward.
"The baby's mother will be treated with confidentiality, compassion and understanding," the spokeswoman said.
Former Bishop of Kildare dies
The Catholic primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, has offered his sympathy to all who mourn Bishop Laurence Ryan, retired Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin who died early yesterday morning, "especially to his sister, brothers, Bishop Moriarty (the current bishop), and the priests, religious and lay people of the diocese."
Bishop Ryan was "a strong and courageous advocate of justice and a constant defender of human rights, especially the rights of the weak and the poor," he said.
Bishop Ryan (72), had been ill for some time. He is survived by his sister Margaret Morrissey, his brothers Pat and Michael, his nieces, nephews and many friends
The late bishop was a native of the parish of St. Mullins, Co Carlow. He served as President of St. Patrick's College, Carlow, from 1974 to 1980 having been on the teaching staff there since 1958. He was parish priest of Naas, Co Kildare, from 1980 to 1985. While in Naas he was ordained in September 1984 as Coadjutor Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.
In December 1987 he succeeded the late Bishop Patrick Lennon as Bishop of the diocese until he resigned in August 2002.