A bird in the hand as Sheila comes to rescue of hurt swan
A BIRD in the hand for Woodquay’s Sheila Gallagher, as last week she came to the rescue of an injured swan at the Salmon Weir Bridge.
The majestic swan had suffered an injury and had temporarily lost her mobility, attracting the attention of passersby as they traversed the famous city bridge.
Swan lover and member of the Woodquay Wildlife Group, Sheila Gallagher, was out for an evening walk at the time and immediately came to the aid of the stricken bird.
“I suppose I’m used to these types of situations. The thing to do, is to calmly go over straight to the swan, before she gets agitated.
“I just brought her off to my backgarden and gave her some tender loving care for a few days,” Sheila Gallagher told the Galway City Tribune.
Three days later, the swan – a magnificent bird about a year old – was released back onto the Corrib, at a spot called Hurney’s on the ‘wide lake’.
Sheila Gallagher said that in any given year, a number of swans had to be taken into care for a time and she paid special tribute to Mary Joyce and the Swan Rescue group for the great work they were doing.
“All their efforts are voluntary – they do wonderful work in Galway and their aim is to get injured swans back into the wild, fit and well again,” she said.
As chance would have it last week, as Sheila Gallagher was performing her rescue, Tribune photographer Joe O’Shaughnessy was on hand to ‘capture the moment’ .
“There’s a very special relationship between the swans and the people of the city – it is lovely to see these beautiful birds being cared for so well,” said Joe O’Shaughnessy.