Alice Leahy appeared on Prime Time on Thursday 9th December 2010 to discuss Dublin’s Boardwalk.
The TV show can be viewed on the RTE website until December 30th 2010 at this link: Watch Primetime
Lighting a candle of hope
Madam, – At one of the bleakest times in recent history, while witnessing many people who have lost everything, even dreams of a better future, it was refreshing to read the piece by Agnes Aylward (Opinion, December 3rd).
It would be very easy to forget we are a tiny island and yet produce the greatest of artists, sports people, thinkers and entrepreneurs, who have had an impact world wide. Why then is the debate about where we are limited to a small number of recycled experts with a very narrow vision of the world? In this technological age many do not have the facility to express their views and feelings about where we are as a nation and what is possible – this causing even more frustration.
We in Trust have been working with people who are homeless for over 35 years and witness daily hope, despair and resilience to keep going. On a daily basis, too, we experience the goodwill and support of people from all walks of life, from throughout the island of Ireland who make our work possible. We witness the most amazing generosity which we have no doubt is replicated throughout our island.
The Christmas period challenges us all to look at where we are, not just to look for money. It is worth reflecting on the issues raised by Ms Aylward, particularly her plea that “nobody in any position of influence should encourage hopelessness . . . but light the candle”. We surely owe this much to each other. – Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Director Co-Founder,
Trust,
Bride Road,
Dublin 8.
Stories of suicide
Madam, – Your Letters page highlights very clearly how the people most in need of help from the State continue to suffer and sadly many have already been lost.
Carl O’Brien’s excellent journalism (Stories of Suicide series) not only highlights the inadequacies but has succeeded in conveying the pain, frustration and lack of hope experienced by so many people and this at a time while millions was spent on glossy reports, all gathering dust.
We in Trust have been involved in working with people who are homeless for over 35 years and, despite the so-called Celtic Tiger, have witnessed the results of the running down of services through many of the people who come to our door every day. We are back to where we where when Trust was set up in 1975.
Writing to the Minister for Health in 1985 we referred to “the totally inadequate, unimaginative approach to services . . . In dealing with people so damaged, so often by our many institutions and that only long-term commitment from people free enough to search for the human being beneath the labels can help”. Alas, it has now been left to the Irish Times’s Carl O’Brien to highlight this issue, at a time when more and more people are becoming depressed and disillusioned. It is incumbent on those with responsibility to plan and deliver services to take heed and not hide behind highly-paid spin doctors, glossy reports and experts full of jargon. The Irish Times series should be mandatory reading for all concerned about how people are living in these troubling times. – Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Director Co-Founder
Trust,
Bride Road, Dublin 8.
Florence Nightingale Centenary Celebration
Alice Leahy having presented the Florence Nightingale Lamp to Sheila O’Malley, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health & Children at Florence Nightingale Centenary Celebration Ireland held in Dublin Castle 7th September 2010.