'Don’t say there is no hope' — Ex-Cork prisoner inspires drug-users by staying sober

Ricky O’Donovan started getting texts from people saying they got sober after watching his TikTok videos

Ricky O’Donovan hit rock bottom when he was in a cell in Cork Prison addicted to drugs and his baby had just died. File picture: Dan Linehan

Eighteen months ago, Ricky O’Donovan hit rock bottom when he was in a cell in Cork Prison addicted to drugs and his baby had just died.

The Knocknaheeny native had been in and out of the prison system for most of his young life. He was first jailed when he was 13 in Oberstown. Since then, he has been behind bars for 14 Christmases.