Barrister turns hero after defendant collapses in Kildare courtroom

The woman needed CPR and was stabilised before she was brought to hospital

Barrister Darren Lalor

Wayne O'Connor and Paul Hyland

A barrister has called on people to learn first aid and emergency response skills after he intervened to save a female defendant who fell ill in court last week.

Darren Lalor (50), a barrister from Finglas in Dublin, was attending Naas courthouse last Thursday when he heard a woman fell and banged her head.

The woman needed CPR and was stabilised before she was brought to hospital.

Mr Lalor previously worked as a healthcare assistant at St James’s Hospital before training at the Bar.

However, the Bar of Ireland pays for him to retain his qualifications as a first responder.

He and a nurse who was also at the courthouse last week were able to help the woman until paramedics arrived.

"Shortly after 12pm there was a commotion in the courtroom and people had to leave,” Mr Lalor said.

“Somebody had fallen and banged her head. I went in to assist like I would do in any situation. My particular skills were needed. I applied those skills, and everything was ok afterwards.”

Mr Lalor was able to use CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to detect if the woman’s heart was active.

“The ultimate heroes in this case were the courts service because they had the AED on sight, knew where it was, and it was working and ready to go.

“Every school should have CPR as part of the curriculum and AEDs should be more available.”

It’s the third time Mr Lalor has used his emergency response skills in recent years to support someone who fell ill.

In 2020 he had to resuscitate a relative, and previously supported a person after they fell ill at the Criminal Courts of Justice.

“Your training kicks in,” he said.

“I am certified as a first responder because I worked in St James’s Hospital while I was studying to be a barrister. I used to drive a taxi and then went to train as a healthcare assistant.

“What happens is somebody is on the ground and they need you, but the most important thing is that the Bar of Ireland paid for me to continue this training. The real heroes here are St James’s Hospital because you cannot work there without these skills.

“If people can get the opportunity to be trained, take the training. If companies can provide that training and pay for people to receive it, please do it.

“I don’t care if you are Dickie Rock, Celine Dion or Bono. I just went in and did my thing. The skills I have are from the training I have done, and they worked.

“There are loads of ways people can get trained and give another person the gift of another breath.”