Dr. Albert O'Mahony

Dr. Albert O'Mahony and Clarenville's first permanent medical clinic

Dr. Albert O’Mahoney was the first physician to open a full-time practice in Clarenville and also served on the Town Council. During his 43-year practice, he gained respect as a businessman, a devoted physician and member of the community.

In the late 1960s, Clarenville did not have a medical clinic or a permanent physician. The Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce resolved to establish a clinic in order to attract one of its visiting physicians, Dr. Albert O’Mahony.

With the help of public donations totaling $12,000 and a local bank loan, a medical clinic was constructed. Dr. O’Mahony rented this clinic and became Clarenville’s first permanent doctor.

In 1972, Dr. O’Mahony bought the clinic from the Chamber for $27,000, which was invested to be used for future medical facilities. The investment grew to $96,000 by 1989. At this time, the Dr. G. B. Cross Memorial Hospital had already been built. The Chamber decided to donate the entire investment to the new hospital to develop a room in the hospital and to purchase a CO2 surgical laser.

O’Mahony expanded the medical building to create more space for healthcare specialists in Clarenville. Under his supervision, the medical centre added two physicians, a dentist, a pharmacy, a lab and X-ray services.

“Albert was indeed an entrepreneur, and the business he established contributed to the economy of this area,” Dr. Harold Crewe said. He worked alongside O’Mahony.

O’Mahony’s business became a successful enterprise, filling a growing need for medical services in the Clarenville area.

“To me, Albert was much more than Dr. O’Mahony. He was a mentor, a colleague, a comrade and very trusted friend,” said Dr. Blaine Pearce, another former colleague. “Albert O’Mahony was not just a doctor, but the doctor — the one that all of his colleagues measure ourselves by.”

Both doctors spoke of O’Mahony’s long hours with patients, the house calls he made, his community involvement and his life as a dedicated family man.

“He’d always end by saying, ‘OK, all right, fair enough’ — as if to say, leave it with me, you don’t need to remind me again; it will be done,” said Crewe.

Born in Ireland, Dr. O’Mahony came to Newfoundland in the early Sixties. He moved to Clarenville in 1969 where he practiced medicine up to his passing. When Albert first came to Clarenville, he was the only physician in the community and for a while he operated a clinic out of his home.

Albert was a well known doctor in Clarenville, the surrounding areas and throughout Newfoundland. He was highly respected for always going above and beyond “the call of duty” in his passion and commitment for patient care. Up until the time of his passing, his patients could still depend on him to make house visits.

In addition to his medical practice, he served a term on Clarenville’s Town Council and and as a director of the Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce, which he was a member of throughout his entire career.

He died suddenly at Dr. G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital on October 22, 2007 at the age of 64 leaving to mourn his loving wife, Donna, sons, Michael and David, and daughter, Ashling.

Today, the Dr. Albert O’Mahony Memorial Manor, a 44-bed long term-care facility on Manitoba Drive, bears his name. He was inducted into the Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame in 2009.

Sources:

https://www.ngb.chebucto.org/Newspaper-Obits/packet-obit-oct07.shtml

Dr. Albert O’Mahony | Clarenville Area Chamber of Commerce

Meet the Mavericks, The Telegram, 2014