Beating the Covid Battle With so many people across the country becoming ill with Covid over the past year, colleagues in the legal profession were not immune. Our own Parchment Editor John Geary was hit by the virus in January, resulting in a hospitalisation and was seriously ill. Kevin O’Higgins chats with the Mayo-based solicitor about what was a gruelling few weeks
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hen 44-year old John Geary sat down for his Christmas day dinner, little did he realise that within days he would be struck down with Covid and have to endure an extended stay at Mayo University
Hospital. “My wife Michelle and I had been very vigilant to avoid contact with family and friends over the festive break. We deliberately did not visit anyone nor did we have visitors to the house. But the virus had probably been picked up before Christmas,” recalls John. “I was in Dublin just pre Christmas for settlement talks in a case and aside from that, I did some shopping in Castlebar on Christmas Eve. I simply do not know where I caught it. I felt extremely ill on the 28th December and spent eight days unable to eat or drink.” John adds: “The symptoms were not typical to what most people experience with Covid. There was no temperature and no cough. Instead, it was like a truck had run over me. I ached from head to toe and was unable to keep any food or drink down. As a result, the dehydration was dreadful. Despite the excellent care provided by Michelle and my son William, I was getting no better.” The Castlebar-based practitioner is the Principal of J.V. Geary Solicitors – a five solicitor practice with
8 the Parchment
a staff of ten. When his office was reopening after the Christmas break in early January, John had been diagnosed with Covid following a test taken at the famed football stadium that is MacHale Park, where the HSE operates a testing centre. “I remained at home, very unwell following the diagnosis of Covid. Each day I thought I would get better but instead, there was a continual deterioration. I then developed an acute pain on my right side and I began to find it very painful to breathe. I knew that it was very serious but was reluctant to present at the local A&E given the pressures all hospitals are under. However, in the middle of one particular night, my wife had to call for an ambulance as the pain was so excruciating and I knew I was in serious trouble.” John has been editor of this esteemed publication for the past 11 years. He took over as editor from Keith Walsh and previous editors include Stuart Gilhooly, Justin McKeena and yours truly. Having trained and worked as a solicitor in Dublin for many years, he moved back to his native County Mayo in 2010 and set up his practice. John trained with Matheson (or Matheson Ormsby Prentice as they were then known) and worked as an assistant solicitor at Margetson & Greene, Walsh Warren and DJ Synnott among others. John recounts what it was like at Mayo University Hospital with gratitude and appreciation. “I was
