Irish Examiner view: Homelessness is not just for Christmas
Cork Simon outreach teams support people on the streets or sleeping in tents or vehicles, living in squats, forced to stay with friends, or at risk of losing their homes. They advocate on their behalf as necessary. File picture: Eddie O'Hare
It is one of the enduring sadnesses of life that significant numbers of people fall into the definition of homelessness despite the fact that Ireland was classified as among the wealthiest countries in the world in a recent international audit.
Just as there are different echelons of wealth, there are different categories of homelessness. While all can induce anxiety and depression, circumstances are particularly challenging for rough sleepers. And not just at this time of year.
One of the international experts and champions of the homeless is John Bird. He is well-known as being the founder and editor-in-chief of , the magazine which helps its vendors make money and move them into entrepreneurialism and purpose. What is not quite so well-known are his Cork connections. Bird’s mother was born 101 years ago in a farmhouse in Co Cork as the War of Independence gathered fierce momentum.
Eileen Mary Bird (née Dunne) arrived in London as an 18-year-old and became a barmaid, settling in Portobello Road, Notting Hill (fashionable now although not in those days), before raising six sons while working two jobs, one as a cleaner and one as a bus conductor.
It’s a very London-Irish story. Her third son has been able to make his own mark by founding a successful publishing business after what he acknowledges was a chequered start to his life. His company has helped during the pandemic with some €45m of investment grants, advice and support for 180 social enterprises and charities.
This week’s advises on the best ways to help people who are sleeping rough this Christmas.
Top of the list is the encouragement to speak up. “A warm greeting, some simple small talk or even just asking a personal question can make all the difference ... you could be the first person that someone living on the streets has spoken to all day.”
See if there is any specific help needed, says the magazine. “Homelessness also makes it almost impossible for rough sleepers to access services that those with a secure home can often take for granted.
And try not to be judgemental. “It is important to have a compassionate conversation with the person you are trying to help first. They can tell you what they want and what help they might need. They may not want anything at all. It is up to them.”
Here in Ireland, there are organisations and volunteers doing heroic work.
The Cork Simon Community is marking its 50th year since Anton Wallich-Clifford, a probation officer, established the original organisation in London and then travelled to Cork in 1971 to create its local presence. A small group of volunteers implemented a regular count of rough sleepers and introduced a nightly soup run.
Their contribution continues to this day with outreach teams supporting people on the streets or sleeping in tents or vehicles, living in squats, forced to stay with friends, or at risk of losing their homes. They advocate on their behalf as necessary.
In Dublin, where 3,000 queued for food vouchers outside the Capuchin Day Centre yesterday, the Simon teams delivered an audit of people sleeping rough last month in liaison with Garda and four local authorities. They encountered 94 people in comparison to 125 identified in the spring research. The majority were Irish males, aged between 26 and 45. The youngest person was 19 and the oldest was 68. Just under half were using tents.
It is often stated that “Having a place to go is home. Having someone to love is family. Having both is a blessing.”
Most of us are able to count our blessings this Christmas. It is a time to act charitably, and generously, supporting those who are less lucky than us, and those many people who work to help them.
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