Medical students at the University of Galway are running their hugely popular annual Teddy Bear Hospital this week.
Pupils from across the city and county brought along their sick toys and teddies for some loving care and attention.
Sometimes all you need is a sticking plaster. Other hospital visits require in depth consultations from these future healthcare professionals.
There are teddies in need of prescription medicines and toys that are sent for x-rays.
Broken bones are a common complaint with teddies and dolls sustaining injuries from bed falls.
Over 1,000 primary school pupils get to travel to the hospital, seeking cures for a wide variety of ailments.
The event is run by the University of Galway's Sláinte society to give children a positive hospital experience and to get a flavour of how the healthcare sector operates.
Siobhán O'Connell, a final-year medical student, has been involved in the Teddy Bear Hospital since her first year at the university.
She said: "So this is my sixth year in medical school and I've been involved with the Teddy Bear Hospital since my first year.
"It's been going on though since 2006 and all the med students here at the University of Galway love to help out.
"It's one of my favourite events on the college calendar and it's just such a wholesome day. The kids are so excited.
"There's such a feel good atmosphere around the place. You get to give back to the children, teach them a bit about health care. And it's just it's just a lovely day.
"I was part of the outreach programme as well during Covid-19, taking the Teddy Bear Hospital to the schools. It was a good experience but not as much fun as being here on campus as part of the big annual event"
Alice Grealish from Cregmore NS had concerns about her doll Emer.
She said: "She's got some antibiotics from the hospital and we're going to have to bring her for an x-ray in case she's any broken bones.
"She's my favourite dolly and the doctors are very kind to her."
Nisha Neelakant is from Vancouver in Canada and is studying medicine in Galway.
She explained how teddies are put in an x-ray machine.
She said: "The children are so brilliant and imaginative with the illnesses that their teddies and toys come in with.
"So we actually get a lot of fractures. So here at the x-ray station, we'll put the teddies in the x-ray, shake it up, and then show them the bones and what actually happens.
"We'll draw the x-ray out for them they're so excited and they get to take the x-ray home and it's lots of fun.
"It's such a great day for us aswell. I love this event and I love Galway"
"The children are so brilliant and imaginative with the illnesses that their teddies and toys come in with! So we actually get a lot of fractures. So here at the X ray station, we'll put the teddies in the X ray, shake it up, and then show them the bones and what actually happens. We'll draw the x-ray out for them they're so excited and they get to take the x ray home and it's lots of fun. It's such a great day for us aswell. I love this event and I love Galway"
After the sometimes frantic rush to hospital with unexpected accidents and emergencies, both teddies and their owners need time to recuperate and have some fun and playtime. The only waiting list in operation at the hospital is the one for schools wanting to attend the event. It's so popular with pupils and teachers that applications only well in advance of the event
