A quartet of leap year babies have been born in the Ulster Hospital, with the infants technically not due to celebrate their first birthday for another four years.
Twin boys Tommy and Teddy McCready were born in the early hours of Thursday, with mum Louise Gordon and dad Gary “delighted” at their arrival.
With 2024 being a leap year, there will not be another February 29 until 2028.
Although this means the official date of their birthday will not come around for another four years, the twins will celebrate their birthdays on March 1 going forward, their proud parents said.
A few hours later at the Ulster Hospital, baby Geoffrey Anaman was born, with mum Sherajaly and dad Bright “over the moon” and keen to introduce the new arrival to his big sister.
Next to be born at the Dundonald hospital was Dom Thomas, named after his dad, who said both parents were “really excited” to welcome him into the world.
Lead Midwife Sarah McKevitt said, “The whole team within maternity services in the South Eastern Trust is delighted that we have been able to share this special memory with all the new mums and dads. We would like to offer our congratulations on the birth of all the beautiful babies born today.”
Although the chances of having a leap year birth are relatively rare for parents, one Dublin family has had an incredible four children all born on February 29.
The O’Shea family from the Church Street area of the city saw twins Jimmy and Anne born in 1956, and twins Robert and Patricia born in 1960.
The four siblings became known locally as the “leap year twins”, with Patricia recalling: “We were a bit of a novelty.”
