A HISTORY OF THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE IN IRELAND



The formation of the Brigade in Ireland has been traced back to a request to a Dr. John Lumsden the medical officer of St. James' Gate Brewery to run a first-aid class for the employees of the brewery. The request came from an Association member and with 40 people from the class wishing to continue in first-aid, his class of 1903 was registered as a division of the Brigade in London in early 1904 with one hundred members.

This was followed by the establishment of a second division in 1905, the "City of Dublin Division". Competitions started in 1906 as a way of encouraging training and of measuring its effectiveness. The 1907 International Trade Exhibition, gave the Brigade its first opportunity to perform public duty. This was the first real time the Brigade in Ireland came face to face with the general public. Public duty and regular marches in Dublin were used to give the Brigade publicity in the city and to help recruitment. This proved successful with the founding of the first women's division shortly afterwards.

During the General Strike of 1913 the Brigade was involved in treating many if the causalities from the fighting between the strikers and the police. Owing to the impartiality with which the Brigade was seen to treat victims, it gained in public stature as well as in experience. The Brigade had operated as a district of the UK Brigade with Dr. Lumsden the Assistant Commissioner for Ireland: as the Brigade grew in strength Dr. Lumsden became Commissioner of the Irish district and became Sir John Lumsden.

The Brigade came to particular prominence in the capital with its work during the 1916 Rising. Their main role role was in the treatment of the many casualties on both sides, but they also assisted in the feeding and caring of the evacuees. In the Civil War of 1922 the Brigade set up two first aid posts, one in Fosters Place and one in Sackville Street. These were manned from 10:00am to 10:00pm seven days a week, and were used as headquarters for members coming on and off duty.

Although the Brigade was mainly concerned with First Aid it also set up a Welfare Scheme after the Civil War. Premises at the rear of Merrion Square were made available for dining rooms where expectant mothers were fed a special diet. Additional dining rooms were set up in Inchicore and at the Brigade Headquarters in Strand Street. A child Welfare Centre was also set up in Marlborough Street. These were kept going up to 1949.

After the war the members of the Brigade were involved in public duty at local activities as well as the Irish National Pilgrimage to Lourdes. In 1929 the Brigade was on duty at the centenary celebrations on the Catholic Emancipation and at the world Eucharistic Conference in 1932 which Ireland hosted.

August 1923 saw the first registered cadet division, the "City of Dublin Ambulance Cadet Division". The St. Stephen's Green Nursing Cadet division was formed soon afterwards.

Sir John Lumsden had always encouraged Brigade members to be blood donors. However in 1935 Sir John advertised in the national papers for people to register as blood donors. The address for the National Blood Transfusion Service was that of the Brigade itself. This service has since been taken over by the State but owes its origin to the Brigade and more especially Sir John Lumsden.

In 1939 Sir John Lumsden was asked to oversee the staffing of first-aid posts, which were being established in the city during the Emergency. Needless to say, Dr. Lumsden and the Brigade duly obliged. During this period Brigade members were required to sleep over in Headquarters or in their locality at the ready should disaster strike. The year 1944 was a sad year for the Brigade, as Sir John Lumsden, the founder and driving force of the Brigade, died. He had presided over a period of growth of the Brigade which has seen it established in Mullingar (1925), Cork (1932) and in Limerick (1935). Such was the high regard in which the Brigade was held that the attendance at his funeral of the then President of Ireland, Sean T. O'Kelly . He was succeeded by Mr. A. O'Connor.

Mr. O'Connor's short time at the helm was successful and saw significant change in the structure of the Brigade. The Government of the day requested the Brigade to establish itself as a self governing body within the State. Previously the Brigade had functioned under the auspices of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England. With the consent and good wishes of the Order the Council of the St. John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland was formed. The Council consisted of prominent citizens of the city who took a keen interest in the work of the Brigade. Having changed the top of the Brigade whilst continuing to offer the people the same services as previously Mr. O'Connor retired in 1951.

He was succeeded by Mr. Douglas Montgomery MD, FRCSI. Mr. Montgomery died in office in 1974 and was succeeded by our present Commissioner, Mr. Derek L. Robinson K. St.J., FRCSI.

In 1954 severe flooding hit the northside of Dublin and the Brigade headquarters was prepared to offer assistance to evacuees. Medical attention and shelter, as well as food were on offer to those who had been discommoded in the disaster areas of Fairview & North Strand.

In the succeeding years and through the '60s the Brigade strength began to decline. With the rapid socio-economic changes occurring at the time many city center divisions lost members and were forced to close. This loss of members coincided with the notion that the work of the Brigade had been somewhat overtaken by the State taking responsibility for the Blood Transfusion Service and the ambulance service and with the advances being made in welfare and health services. The Brigade however continued to cover its full complement of public duty and continued to operate its welfare role through the "workroom" which was established to offer assistance and clothing to unmarried mothers. The workroom still functions today although it meets slightly different needs.

1974 saw the explosion of 3 bombs in Dublin city center. It occurred on a Brigade flag-day and thus St. John Ambulance members were the first on the scene. Some 20 or so people were killed in the attack. The visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland in 1979 saw the Brigade, in communion with the Order of Malta, Civil Defence and Red Cross, offer first-aid services to 1,250,000 people in the Phoenix Park.

1995 saw disorder in Lansdowne Road at a friendly soccer match between Ireland and England. Brigade members were on duty at the Park and rendered first aid to the injured.

Today the Brigade continues to be ever in demand and is ready to act in any emergency. It spends most of its time providing first-aid services at concerts, sporting events, cinemas, the Dublin Marathon, etc. The Brigade also offers first aid classes on a regular basis to the general public. The Brigade today is continuing to strive to meet the needs of the community it serves as it tries continually to meet the high standards set itself by its founder and first Commissioner, Sir. John Lumsden.



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