DONEGAL Willie, also known as William O’Brien, is almost certain he contracted coronavirus while helping out people living in a squat near his North London home a few weeks ago.
A native of Ardsbeg, Gortahork, Willie is a well-known figure in Highbury with his high vis jacket and framed image of himself round his neck.
Earlier this month he came down with flu-like symptoms and over the following week to ten days, the 60-year-old’s health declined.
“I’m a very lucky man. I had been coughing for a while but it didn’t bother until I found myself wheezing like an old man one evening as I was walking home.
“I don’t smoke or drink but I’m a diabetic and some neighbours noticed me falling about a bit. Some were even shouting at me saying I was a great actor for the NHS as people were out that evening at 8pm to say thank you to the front-line workers.
“I got home and staggered around the flat for a while before I started vomiting,” he explained.
Willie called 111 and he was taken to the nearby Whittington hospital.
“I was wheeled into the ‘red zone’ and there were a few times when I thought that maybe my time is up. But I wanted to live. It was like something out of a movie,” he said.
“The NHS staff were incredible, but all they can do is help you fight the virus. There’s no vaccination that can save you,” he added.
“One night lying in my hospital bed I heard one of the patients say that Donegal Willie is dead but, thankfully, I soon woke up. I was very weak. I had no energy and spent all day in bed. It was a frightening experience,” he admitted.
Willie started his working life as a caretaker in Unifi, Letterkenny, while he also drove cars up and down to Dublin for the late Teague Diver from his garage in Gweedore. However, he has spent most of his working life in London.
“I’ve been in London for forty years and haven’t been back home in Donegal for ten years. I worked in the Gresham Hotel on the Holloway Road for years and used to drive the Donegal ones all around North London,” he said.
In more recent times, he uses his high viz jacket to promote Tommy Flynn’s pub on the Holloway Road.
Willie, who was discharged from hospital last Friday week, continues to make a steady recovery at his Wood Green home. He has been drinking a lot of water to help his lungs and throat recover.
“I was very sick. I could hardly walk. Before taking sick I used to help out in squats with the homeless people and that’s probably where I contracted the virus,” he said.
Donegal Willie featured in his local newspaper, the Islington Tribute, last year when he used his highly visible outfit to stop traffic and help mourners leave Christ Church Highbury to travel to the Islington crematorium in East Finchley for the funeral of Nick Witter.
Nick helped run the Memory Café at the church – a weekly meet-up for people with memory issues – with his wife Tania, associate vicar at the church.
“I stopped the traffic so his family and friends could travel together for one last time.” he recalled. Unsuspecting drivers were at first angry as they didn’t understand why he was stopping the traffic and the police were called.
“The police tried to put handcuffs on me but I explained that a good man had died. All the drivers were looking at me but it was important for everyone to travel together. Afterwards I made the police officer a cup of Irish tea and gave her cake. I’ve recently done something similar for other great people who have died in Islington, and stopped traffic for their funerals. It’s important that people travel together at times like this.” he said.
The Islington Tribute suggested at the time that Donegal Willie should consider a new career as a ground crew assistant at an airport landing planes because of his directing skills.
In the meantime, he will continue to rest and rebuild his strength.
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