Double delight as Derry twin sisters give birth on the same day

Twins Claire Harkin and Sarah Brown (neé Durnin) were delighted to be able to celebrate their special moments together as they became mums less than 12 hours apart at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Sarah and husband Jonathan from Carnhill welcomed their little girl Kate Claire into the world at 11.39am on Monday April 24, weighing 8lb 9 oz.

Then at 10.29pm Claire and husband Paul from Foyle Springs welcomed their little boy Conor Rossa, weighing in at 9lb 11 oz, just hours before Paul’s birthday.

There had been a lot of excitement in the labour ward at Altnagelvin Hospital on the day as the family and staff wondered if the double delivery would happen on the same.

And it was an especially proud moment too for Sarah and Claire’s parents Sean and Corinna Durnin from Belmont, who have become grandparents for the first time not once but twice on the same day. And as well as becoming mothers, Sarah and Claire, who were themselves born five minutes apart, also became aunties for the first time to each other’s child.

Grandfather Sean said they were all amazed and delighted . “We are over the moon,” he told the Journal shortly after the special deliveries.

“These are our first grandchildren and they arrived on the same day. We are so happy the babies are healthy and everyone is doing so well. There is quite a few birthdays and anniversaries around this time of year for us so it just seems like this the right time for them to arrive.”

He said his twin daughters, former pupils of St Cecilia’s College, have always been very close. “You couldn’t separate them. They even married best friends!”

Indeed Paul and Jonathan became inseperable as best friends while growing up in the same street and as classmates at St Columb’s College.

And given the remarkable circumstances surrounding their births, it looks certain that little Conor and little Kate are destined to grow up and become the best of buddies as well.

Congratulations from all of us at the Journal!