Memorial garden to honour the late Christy St George

By Bernie Ní Fhlatharta

A small memorial garden with a bench and a bird bath will be opened next week in memory of a former employee and volunteer of Ability West in Snipe Avenue.

The Christy St George Memorial has been donated by the deceased man’s family in memory of Christy’s warm, personal way with people and his quiet, unassuming, gentle manner.

Christy, who lived in Knocknacarra, died after falling in the grounds of University Hospital Galway a few years ago. His death led to a renewed call being made for a neurological treatment centre in Galway.

The call was initially made by a Dublin coroner who presided over an Inquest into Christy’s death in Beaumont Hospital. It was agreed that the Galwayman may have lived had he had access to neurological treatment immediately after his fall.

No progress has been made on that plea, which was backed by the St George family and elected members of HSE West.

Christy worked for 20 years with Ability West as a driver and also devoted hours of voluntary work to the organisation. The family and the Board of Directors of Ability West decided that the best way to honour the late Christy St George was by way of a memorial.

The concept behind the design of the memorial, which was designed by Silkes’ Architects, was to reflect and remind people of Christy's way with people as well as his love of horticulture.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.