Hospital Action Committee pays tribute to John McDermott

Roscommon Hospital Action Committee (HAC) has paid tribute to the late John Mc Dermott who was a long standing member of the HAC.

Mr McDermott of Bohergarve, Roscommon Town passed away suddenly but peacefully at his home on Thursday, December 28th.

In a statement, the HAC said that he served as its chairperson for more than ten years.

“The Roscommon Hospital Action Committee was founded in 1976 when services to Roscommon Hospital were threatened. The campaign continued since then to prevent the closure of the hospital but to also maintain and develop services at the hospital.

“Although some services were lost following government decisions, John and the HAC maintained a campaign that has led to Roscommon University Hospital being a central cog in the health system in the West of Ireland,” said the statement.

Independent Councillor Valerie Byrne said: “John was an ardent campaigner for reform in the health system and was never afraid to take on the government or question their policies. He canvassed with the HAC during many elections and ran as an independent HAC candidate himself in the 2011 General Election in the Roscommon South Leitrim constituency, and again in a constituency by-election in 2014.

“Our sympathies are with his wife Mary and his children Ken, Andrea, Niamh and Alex,” said Cllr Byrne.

Mr McDermot also developed the EmCall App, a community emergency response system that provides a medical intervention (CPR and defibrillation) to cardiac arrest victims within a targeted 4/5 minutes.

He was also very well known on the GAA fields and was an accomplished goalkeeper. He was part of the famous Roscommon senior team that dominated Connacht in the late seventies and reached the All-Ireland final in 1980.

His proudest moment came in 1979 when he featured in goals in the National Football League final against Cork as Roscommon won their first national title in 35 years.

Mr McDermott played with Roscommon Gaels in the 1970s, and was a member of the club's senior team that won the county championship in 1972.

He is sadly missed by his wife Mary, children, Ken, Andrea, Niamh and Alex, brother Peter and his wife Ann, son-in-law Noel, daughter-in-law Caroline, cherished grandchildren Leah, Grace, Zoe and baby Abby, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, extended family, neighbours and friends.

He was laid to rest in St Coman’s Cemetery following funeral Mass in the Sacred Heart Church on Monday.