Isolated Kildare farmer crawled on hands and knees for over an hour to get help

A Kildare farmer who took ill was forced to crawl hands on knees down a 900 yard laneway to seek help. Anthony Kavanagh is 65 years old and farms 60 acres at Hughestown, a few miles outside Baltinglass. But the bachelor farmer, whose lands fall under the remit of Athy Municipal District, may as well live on Tory Island, such is the poor access vie a laneway to his home and lands.

In January 2015, he experienced “an unmerciful pain”, and called his local GP, who was out at the time. Next he phoned K Doc which doesn’t commence services till 6pm. “I was advised by them to go to Tullow or Carlow immediately for help. I called a neighbour who lives nearby but she was attending Naas Hospital that day; my brother in law who has a jeep was also out and to make matters worse, I ran out of phone credit.

“I was in such pain and unable to manage the tractor myself that I set out at 5.40pm and crawled most of the way on my hands and knees to the main road”.

He estimated it took him over an hour to make the 900 yards journey, having collapsed a few times on the way. “I was kneeling on the road when my brother in law found me and took me to Tullow, where I was immediately rushed to Waterford Hospital and operated on”. Anthony experienced a triple A aneurism; his surgeon described his survival and subsequent recovery “as a miracle”

Anthony Kavanagh at home

Why didn’t Anthony dial emergency services? “The broadband coverage here is poor at the best of times and the only way I get out to shop or go to the town is by tractor. In fact, my late mother took ill in 2010 and we called an ambulance. It couldn’t get up the laneway so I ended up pulling it up by tractor. She died aged 91 in 2012 and my uncle John (85) died in 2014.

Anthony is finding the isolation and loneliness increasingly difficult in latter years, and the homestead has no inside toilet facilities. He is also utterly frustrated as Kildare County Council has allocated funding to upgrade the laneway but another landowner bordering the laneway hasn't agreed to works.

“The Post Box is now down at the roadway as the postman can’t get up the laneway in winter; neither will the ESB man come to read the meter in bad weather. I may as well be living in the North Pole and the broadband coverage is hit and miss. I survived the last attack - what happens the next time?”

Cllr Gerry O'Neill who visited Mr Kavanagh last weekend

is concerned for his well-being as winter approaches

Gerry O’Neill, Independent Cllr in Co Wicklow came across Anthony’s dilemma and spoke with local Gardaí and Kildare County Officials on the matter. “The laneway is in shocking condition with boulders on either side. In heavy rainfall or frost, it is dreadful and vehicles simply can’t make it up the laneway. The man is isolated and I am concerned for his well-being, both physical and mental”.

Cllr O’Neill praised officials in Kildare County Council who have worked to secure funding under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) but says he is frustrated that the upgrading of the laneway has not proceeded.

Dave O’Flaherty, KCC Engineer for the Athy MD area, confirmed that under the 2016 LIS Scheme, €26, 500 was secured to upgrade the laneway. ”20% comes from local funding and 80% from Government; Kildare councillors agreed to the allocation of funding for the laneway but we have not been able to proceed with the upgrading as we have not received permission from the other landowner concerned. Our hands are tied…..”

“My sister Julia and brother in law are very good to me but Kevin can’t get up that lane in bad weather so I’m basically hemmed in. I was at Waterford Hospital on Tuesday, I’m doing ok - but what happens the next time I take ill?” asked Anthony.

Cllr O’Neill added that in this day and age, it is shocking to think a farmer living in Kildare could be living thus. “He is dreading the winter and I am seriously concerned for his well-being. Kildare County Council cannot proceed with the lane improvements because the other landowner hasn't or won't give permission".