Esther N McCarthy spots some cute Christmas decor and coos over copper this week.

No one chooses to be homeless, and it’s something that could happen to any of us, writes Louise O’Neill

Rent freezes should be considered as part of a radical new approach to preventing the flow of people into homelessness, the head of Cork Simon said.

One of the most influential authors of her generation has encouraged Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy to spend a day volunteering in a homeless shelter.

The homeless crisis is deepening in urban areas outside of Dublin, with one service provider in Cork City claiming it is “stretched to the limit”.

A former lord mayor of Cork has called for a marquee-style structure on one of the city’s quays, which has been home to a man for several months, to be torn down.

Those were Kathleen O’Sullivan’s words days before she died in a doorway in Cork city, writes Donal O’Keeffe.

Reporter Roisin Burke took to the streets yesterday to find out what you had to say on the worsening homelessness crisis.

Comments by a local authority official, that homelessness takes “years of bad behaviour”, showed no awareness of the role trauma plays in people’s lives, according to the director of Cork Simon.

There will be more deaths of homeless people on the streets this winter, a noted academic has warned.

Homeless charity Cork Simon has launched a campaign to identify vacant homes it can buy or lease as part of its response to the housing and homeless crisis.

A former joyrider and prison inmate who spent years sleeping rough will today launch an album in Cork City.

Cork Simon relies heavily on fundraising by ordinary people embracing the extraordinary time that is Christmas, writes John Tynan

Your letters, your views...

Landlords need to change their attitude to tenants in receipt of State rent supports, the housing minister has said.

Most octogenarians would have their feet up with a nice cup of tea in hand, but not husband and wife, Joe and Kay O’Regan, who held hands as they crossed the finish line of Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon.

Twenty people slept rough in Cork City on two consecutive nights this week. That is one of the highest figures in recent years.

A jury has returned open verdicts into the deaths of a homeless man and woman whose bodies were recovered metres from each other in the River Lee in Cork City Centre in December 2014.

A US expert on homelessness has urged the Government to scale up a pioneering ‘Housing First’ approach which he said could end chronic homelessness here within a year.

Cork Simon, experiencing a doubling of numbers sleeping rough in the city, has issued a special appeal for support ahead of its biggest annual fundraiser.

A community fire safety initiative has cut Cork City Fire Brigade’s call-outs to such an extent that it has freed up firefighters to respond to cardiac emergencies.

The Water Margin Garden in Cappanacush East, Kenmare, will be open to the public, in aid of Cork Simon, during the August bank holiday weekend.

Cork Simon said there is a worrying upward trend in the number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Cork.

The head of Cork Simon has disclosed his annual salary of €89,800 in an effort to promote full openness and transparency.

The first time *Susan injected “one of the girls done it” for her.

Cork Simon has called on the Government to protect the homeless budget after a trebling in the numbers of people sleeping rough as its state funding was cut.

Trevor lost everything when he became homeless, and considered suicide in the depths of his depression.

Four voluntary homeless agencies, frustrated with the Government’s inaction, have launched a radical initiative to tackle the “sleeping rough” crisis.

Swathed in ivy and decorations, and with a warm fire, Bride Park Cottage is open to visitors every year, says Charlie Wilkins.

A video which gives a unique insight into the lives of homeless people will be projected onto a landmark Cork building this week to mark a week of action on homelessness.

Cork Simon has called for urgent action after the number of people sleeping rough in the city trebled.

The State’s emergency fund response to Cork’s flood disaster has been branded as “pathetic,” with government ministers accused of peddling “meaningless, empty rhetoric” about financial aid.

Homeless people with a mental illness are five times more at risk of killing other people or themselves than people in the general community with such an illness.

HE’S beennicknamed “The Don” after polishing off the mother of all fry-ups.

We plan and buy and strive to make our loved-ones happy for the festive season, but celebrate too the volunteers who share their time with the less fortunate, says Denise Hall

RENOWNED Irish artist Robert Ballagh performed the spectacular unveiling of a community art project created by Cork’s homeless.

HEROIN is now one of the single biggest problems facing homeless women in Cork.

Subsuming the Combat Poverty Agency into a Government department would destroy the watchdog’s independence and ability to carry out vital work, it was warned today.

CORK Simon turned away more than 500 people from its emergency shelter last year and has warned of a funding crisis.

A HEART-BROKEN mother launched a scathing attack yesterday on the country’s leading homeless charity, after hearing how her son died alone in an emergency shelter after a heroin overdose.