Cold comfort living on Dublin’s streets

In a bid to remind herself what so many Irish people will be missing this Christmas, Orlagh McCarron decided to experience a night of homelessness.

CALL it naivety, optimism even or just plain ignorance, but as I leave the comforting glow of the home fire to take up residence on a raw street in the heart of Dublin for the night, I remind myself that I want to get a little perspective of what the flipside is to a life lived comfortably.

It’s Wednesday night and the temperature hovers in and around a respectable three degrees, on par for a winter’s night. Armed with my sleeping bag, my alarm clock and a notebook and pen, I have stripped myself of all modern day luxuries and gadgets such as my smartphone, laptop, iPod, even my watch.