Cork Penny Dinners feeding 1,000 people daily as cost of living crisis deepens

Liz Dunphy spends a day with the volunteers of the renowned Cork charity

Caitríona Twomey with transition year students from Coláiste Éamann Rís and Coláiste an Chroí Naofa, Carraig na bhFear, who do volunteer work at Cork Penny Dinners. Picture: Denis Minihane.

A lengthy queue moves quickly past the door at Cork Penny Dinners, people of all ages and backgrounds taking a hot meal, ‘survival bags’ and extra pouches stuffed with tea bags from smiling volunteers.

The need has spiked to such a degree that that line now snakes right down to the end of Little Hanover Street and sometimes turns the corner, Caitríona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners said.