Tributes have been paid to a popular National Ambulance Service (NAS) paramedic and Civil Defence volunteer who died suddenly at his Ennis home on Tuesday.
Jamie Buckley, formerly of Killaloe, studied at St Annes Community College in the East Clare town and began his training as a NAS paramedic in the Phoenix Park in 2012. He worked for several years at the National Ambulance Service base at Dooradoyle in Limerick and more recently, out of Ennis ambulance station.
Jamie also featured in the acclaimed TV documentary series ‘Paramedics’ that filmed frontline National Ambulance Service paramedics as they went about their daily duties.
Tributes have been pouring in from various emergency services all over Ireland who posted messages on multiple social media platforms.
Jamie’s NAS colleagues in Limerick said: “Jamie was an extremely kind and generous man, who always gave the utmost care and attention to his patients. We will miss him dearly, his smile, his humour and his company.”
Jamie, along with his wife Niamh, was a volunteer with Clare Civil Defence who also paid tribute.
“Jamie and his loving wife Niamh are long time members of Clare Civil Defence and his loss is immeasurable. Both Jamie and Niamh have selflessly given the benefit of their considerable professional skills to all members of Clare CD over the years and this generosity has enhanced the unit beyond words.
We are better for knowing you, better for loving you, better for having met you. May you be as blessed in the next life, our friend, as we were in this one by knowing you.”
Jamie also featured in the popular Tile Films television documentary series on TV3 that featured frontline NAS paramedics in action.
Series Producer/Director Rob King said: “Jamie was a talented Paramedic appeared regularly across the final two series of the Paramedics documentary, becoming a household face and name.”
“We filmed day and night with Jamie across three years. In his work, Jamie was a constant professional whose ability for care and compassion was displayed in every call he responded to… and person he helped, on and off camera. Jamie was an absolute character, with a beaming cheeky smile, an infectious laugh, and a heart the size of his head.”
“We are so very humbled to have had the time we did with Jamie, and to have captured some of these very attributes and moments, that will be immortalised forever. We will in time, with the families involvement, reflect and remember some of those moments.
Today, our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Jamie’s wife, family, friends and colleagues across the country. He was not simply a contributor in a documentary … he was one of our own, and we will miss him dearly,” Mr King added.
Jamie Buckley is survived by his loving wife Niamh, mother Kristina, sister Lauren, grandparents Gill and John, parents-in-law Sean and Claire Kitson, niece Holly, sister-in-law Eimear, brothers-in-law Maurice and Fionnan, uncles, aunts, cousins, work colleagues, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Jamie’s funeral arrangements are as follows:
Reposing at Kennedy’s Funeral Home, Ennis, this Thursday (8th Dec) from 5.30 pm with removal at 7.30 pm. to Ennis Cathedral. Funeral Mass on Friday (9th Dec) at 11 am. Burial afterwards in the new cemetery, Ogonnelloe.
Jamie’s Funeral Mass will take place at Ennis Cathedral on Friday (9th Dec) at 11 am. Burial afterwards in the new cemetery, Ogonnelloe.