Padraig’s Story

We first met Padraig on a freezing cold night; he hadn’t had a warm meal in days, and had been sleeping rough in Dublin for five years, waking up many mornings to the sour smell of his cardboard bed.

Our outreach team began to visit Padraig every day, bringing him a change of clothes, warm meals and helping him register for emergency accommodation. Eventually, he shared his story with us.

Padraig had been raised by his mother, who passed away when he was very young. After being taken in by relatives, he was physically and emotionally neglected, and began to self-medicate at the age of 14.

He found it hard to seek the care he needed, and found himself sleeping on the streets of the city centre. “People walk by like you’re not even there” he told us. “When you’re sleeping on a park bench, you’re invisible – nobody wants to look at you.”

Unfortunately, there are many stories like Padraig’s, and the number is growing every day. Will you donate €45 today to support people like Padraig in accessing life-changing treatment and services?

Today, Padraig is a resident of our medical support services, and has made fantastic progress. He has a great relationship with our staff, and has begun reconnecting with his daughter. When we spoke to him recently, he told us “I feel happier than I have in years, I feel genuinely hopeful for the future.”