ABOUT THE PRACTICE

January 2021

I qualified as a doctor from Trinity College Dublin in 1975 and after hospital training started a general practice in Clondalkin in 1979.  My first surgery was in Neilstown, in a recently vacated builder’s office.  A few months later I moved the surgery to a family home in Alpine Heights, Clondalkin.  In this practice we used the lounge downstairs as the waiting room and the box-room upstairs as the surgery.  After my first five days I registered three patients.  I also did house calls, especially at weekends, to earn a living - “nixers” as some would say!

​

In 1980, I moved into unit 13 in the Bawnogue Shopping Centre.  This surgery was upstairs with poor lighting on the stairs as the light-bulbs were often vandalised.  Teenagers gathered on these stairs at night but I always felt safe knowing these young people were on the stairs.  I often felt they minded me and my car in the poorly lit car park.

My wife Marguerite and I worked together, with Marguerite working as the receptionist and the practice nurse in the mornings.  In the afternoons and evenings I would see patients, answer the phones, and attend to anyone waiting at the front desk. 

​

In 1999 we moved into the new purpose built surgery on the Nangor Road.  Patients joked about the new premises saying “from the pits to The Ritz!”  Pauline O’Toole and Marguerite Ramiah helped greatly with this move.  A few months later Dr Chenead Ramiah joined the practice.  This brought joy and pride to Marguerite and myself.  In 2005 we moved the practice upstairs, its present location, with Kelly’s Pharmacy and Spar supermarket on the ground floor. 

So much has changed.  We are now eleven staff working in the surgery with Dr Chenead Ramiah as the Principal GP.  At present, there are five doctors, two practice nurses, two secretarial members and a practice manager as well as a full-time practice cleaner daily.  The practice is now fully computerised and this website will hopefully improve access to services.

​

It has been a great privilege to have worked as a GP in Clondalkin for the past 42 years, knowing four to five generations in many families in the area.  I feel honoured that I was able to provide this service to the Community.  I am also delighted that this caring service has kept up with modern technology to provide high quality healthcare to all of our patients and that this care will be ongoing for the long term.