RALPH BY TP, TP BY RALPH

When TP's eldest son, Ralph, was  some seven years old,  he complained one evening of a deep seated pain.  As it got worse his mother thought it best to take him to the family paractitioner,  Dr.Ryan, in Sandymount. He diagnosed an appendicitis and Ralph was swiftly admitted to Dublin's Sir Patrick Dunn Hospital.

That was the trauma, but in this triptych taken by TP we see Ralph on the road to recovery in the Children's Ward.

Aided by a bottle of Lucozade and the comfort of his favourite dressing gown, the sequence could almost be an advertorial for the remedial mineral.

Ralph's still not out of the woods though and can only work his way up to a wary brave-little-soldier's smile.  Curiosity has the better of him though and, intrigued by his father's studious efforts at photographing him, he asks if he may have a go for himself.  TP's more than happy to relinquish control of the camera and smiles warmly for his son. The shot's just a little crooked perhaps, but not bad for a first effort.

Meanwhile, Ralph's brothers who have also been brought to the hospital are left to occupy themselves outside the ward on the landing lest they disturb the tranquility of the tender, young sicklings.  Not that anyone would could ever accuse TP's youngest, Stephen, of the same.  He's lost in his own world, gazing down the staircase, fascinated, no doubt,  by the comings and goings of the grown ups in the busy hospital environment.