Orla Hillary

Orla Hillary is a Critical Care Nurse in the NHS, caring for the sickest patients in the hospital daily. She is also a Clinical Skills and Simulation Lecturer in a university in London, developing and delivering clinical skills teaching to the next generation of nurses and midwives. A huge supporter of the GAA, Orla is also Chair for London Ladies Gaelic Football Association, pushing for promotion and recognition of the ladies teams.

"I am a Critical Care nurse. Our days vary on almost an hourly basis. Critical care holds the sickest patients in the hospital, where a majority of them need some version of organ support. This could be on a ventilator, on a kidney machine, on special medication to keep their blood pressure from falling and many other pieces of equipment. We monitor patients very closely, every hour keeping on top of their "numbers" like their vital signs. A lot of Critical care nursing is managing the machinery that supports the sick patients, but also supporting families and friends of their loved ones. In addition to this, most of our patients are put into a medically induced coma, so we are there to advocate and care for all needs of our patients, like brushing their teeth, their hair, baths and skin care. I absolutely love, being a critical care nurse. My other job, is a clinical skills and simulation lecturer at a university in London. My job here is to develop and deliver clinical skills teaching to our future generation of nurses and midwives.

I am the Chairperson for London LGFA. I was elected at the end of 2024, and successor to a fabulous chair, Aisling Clifford. Since being elected as Chair i have been invited to several events like a book launch, St Brigid’s day at the Irish Embassy and the GAA awards night. In these short few months of being chair I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet lots more people from the Irish community, from all different backgrounds. I feel incredibly proud and lucky to be elected chair, as the LGFA is significantly under-represented and under-supported, and my aim is to push and promote the recognition of LGFA London, during my term as chair."

"The wonderful thing about being Irish abroad, is normally there's another irish abroad somewhere nearby whether at work or socially. I play Gaelic football in London, and it is so magically being around other Irish born and second generation Irish people living their best lives here. I am proud to be irish and a Galwegian, but I also am proud to be a Londoner where I am making my life, alongside millions of other Irish."