'Santa doesn’t come to some households unless we help out': Bringing Christmas joy to Cork children

St Vincent de Paul's annual toy drive is more meaningful this year than ever, with one in five children in the State now living in enforced deprivation. Liz Dunphy meets the SVP Santa's elves

St Vincent de Paul volunteers Hannah Kiely and Denis Kenneally at the charity's toy warehouse in Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Santa’s special representative in Cork, Denis Kenneally, threw open the door to St Vincent de Paul’s massive toy warehouse with a broad smile despite the biting cold.

Decked out in a Santa hat and a jumper emblazoned with an image of the main man himself, he had been there since 7.45am making boxes to stuff full of toys for children around the city and suburbs.