Bru Columbanus house - Stress relief for patients’ loved ones

The opening yesterday of the country’s first live-in facility for families of seriously-ill patients represents a remarkable achievement, spearheaded by the Knights of St Columbanus.

The €8 million home-from-home project in Wilton, Cork, provides state-of-the-art accommodation for 24 families experiencing the trauma of a seriously-ill loved one in long-stay hospitalisation.

The Knights of St Columbanus go quietly about their charitable work without fanfare, but in setting up this purpose-built accommodation, the organisation sold a property and donated €2m to the project.