Orkney’s most northerly isle welcomes first baby in over three decades

A baby has been born in North Ronaldsay for the first time in 34 years.

Healthy baby boy, Duncan Wilder Thorstein Traill Suarez Ford was born in Alice’s ancestral family home, Holland House, last week.

Duncan was born to Alice Traill Ford and Jorge Suarez, and is the youngest of four.

The family live in Costa Rica where they run a school, but when they came to visit Alice’s family home in North Ronaldsay in June, they decided to have Duncan born on the island instead. 

Besotted mum Alice explained: “It wasn’t our plan, but we came here to the island and felt that it was right to have the baby here.

“So we contacted the NHS and they were incredibly supportive of our wants for having the baby on the island.”

The last baby to be born in North Ronaldsay was in August 1992, but Alice was always confident of the plan.

“Originally, I think that a lot of the islanders and my family as well were nervous for the birth, but I felt completely safe with the decision, especially with the NHS support.

“The maternity team at The Balfour were just so cool about it.”

Alice and Jorge would like to give a huge thank you to the NHS maternity team and the coastguard for their support, as well as the whole North Ronaldsay community for making the couple feel so loved and giving them such a sense of belonging throughout. 

Read more in The Orcadian out today.