The mother of a 3.17kg (7lb) baby born at a Kilkenny roundabout has spoken of her joy and relief.

Abe Adetella from Tommy Murphy Park, Carlow spoke to RTÉ News in the maternity unit at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny this afternoon.

Ms Adetella has not yet decided what to call her new arrival, who was born on Wednesday night.

Speaking from the hospital ward, she revealed that she crashed into the roundabout on purpose.

She said: "I was driving to the hospital to have my blood pressure checked.

"I was due on the day but had no labour pains at all."

As she got to the outskirts of Kilkenny, she said she "felt a big move".

"I was coming up to the roundabout and I knew I had to pull over and park.

"But if I parked on the side of the road, nobody would maybe stop and I knew I needed someone to stop and help me because I thought I was going to have the baby there."

The expectant mother then purposely put the car onto the roundabout at the link road.

"I had to stop ... and then the lady came to help me and the baby just came out," she said.

That lady was Mae Doyle, who yesterday told RTÉ News she had caught the baby as it came out.

She had an emotional reunion with the mother and child at the hospital, saying she was overjoyed to have been part of such a happy story.

"She is such a beautiful baby," said Mrs Doyle.

"It's 37 years since I had my last child. It's so emotional.

"It's lovely she is healthy and in a nice cot. It's a peculiar situation but I'm delighted everything worked out.

"She's lovely and cuddly."

Ms Adetella has three other children, all of whom are a number of years older than their new sister.

The new mother said: "At first the baby wasn't crying and I didn't hear anything, and then the lady held it up and the baby started crying and I knew she was okay.

"I felt so very happy."

She thanked those who had stopped to help, in particular Mrs Doyle and her husband Eamonn, a retired garda.

Ms Adetella is due to go home tomorrow with her little girl.