Charity sleep-out goes like a dream

THE sleep-out on Dublin’s College Green by Belvedere students, which was called off a fortnight ago, went ahead this weekend incident-free.

A group of 20 Leaving Cert students from Belvedere proved the spirit of Christmas could conquer the threat posed by an excess of other types of spirits.

The school’s authorities decided earlier this month that the growing incidence of violence in the city centre in the hours after dark posed an unacceptable risk for students.

For the first time in the 16-year history of the charity collection, the college felt that the students’ efforts to raise money for the homeless with a 48-hour sleep-out on the streets made them vulnerable to robbery and assault. The danger posed by nightlife activities in the capital was underscored by several serious assaults around the city over the weekend.

“We have never had any trouble or incident. It’s just that we were not prepared to wait for something to happen,” explained Belvedere teacher, Polly Dolan.

However, students anxious to participate in the annual event decided to press ahead with the sleep-out at College Green between 9am and 6pm, while moving their sleeping bags to Belvedere’s grounds on Great Denmark Street to spend the night in the open air.

“We were very disappointed at the original decision because it’s something we’d been looking forward to for a long time,” said 6th year student Geoff Barry. “However, the reaction has been wonderful.”

Even the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern took time out from his Christmas shopping yesterday afternoon to congratulate the group on their determination.

Gardaí from the nearby station at Pearse Street and security officials from the Bank of Ireland on College Green also kept a regular watch on the students who kept passers-by entertained with songs played on guitars and drums.

However, the organisers turned down an offer by the bank to allow the students sleep behind the railings on the basis that it would reduce their visibility as collectors.

They said the publicity surrounding the initial cancellation of the collection had also generated huge support from members of the public.

“Everyone has been very sympathetic,” said Ms Dolan. She pointed out that a separate group of past-pupils from Belvedere were staging their own 48-hour vigil outside the GPO on O’Connell Street. “They tend to have things a bit quieter at that part of town,” she smiled.

Together, both groups hope to raise more than €60,000 to be divided between Fr Peter McVerry’s Arrupe Society, Focus Ireland and the Los Angeles Society centre for homeless boys in Dun Laoghaire.