‘They are hungry and desperate. We are here to help:' Muslim Sisters of Éire feed the poor

As demand for their food aid surges, and in the aftermath of one of their 'hardest' nights, ALISON O'REILLY spent an evening on the streets of Dublin with the Muslim Sisters of Éire

Muslim Sisters of Éire chairwoman Lorraine O'Connor on the corner of Prince's St and O'Connell St in Dublin where the group offers free food to those in need on Friday evenings. On the left is a man tying the laces of the shoes the charity bought him after his own were stolen. Picture: Moya Nolan

They’ve become a fixture on Dublin’s O’Connell St every Friday evening where they stand for hours handing out hot meals to struggling clients.

But, a fortnight ago, the Muslim Sisters of Éire had to shut their street café for the first time ever, as an agitated crowd became desperate there would not be enough food to go around. While it was only a 10-minute delay to their busy evening, the unusual move by one of the most high-profile charities in the country was enough to go viral online.