'I am worried about the cold - it kills me': A night on duty with a Dublin homeless charity

The group of ICHH volunteers in Dublin city centre. Image: Orla Dwyer via TheJournal.ie The group of ICHH volunteers in Dublin city centre. Image: Orla Dwyer via TheJournal.ie MIDNIGHT, BENEATH THE Christmas lights on Dublin’s Henry Street.

Volunteers usually spend one night a week helping out with the charity. They arrive at the ICHH office on Amiens Street by around 10pm and prepare to head out wearing backpacks filled with warm clothes, scarves, underwear and socks. Lisa, Adrienne, Peter, Maria and team leader Neil Shanahan head out to the route covering areas like Talbot Street, Henry Street and some of the northside quays.

Over 10,500 people across the country are living in homelessness, according to the latest government figures. However, this does not include rough sleepers. It counts those living in emergency accommodation in hotels, B&Bs and family hubs. “What I worry about is the cold – that’s the thing that kills them. Rain never really killed anyone,” says Shanahan.

He’s been homeless for two months in Dublin, he says – but doesn’t want to chat for long. A volunteer hands him some tea and the group continues on the route. That was an increase of 117 on September’s figures, which Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy said “was expected following the introduction of new emergency beds in the Dublin region recently”.

Related Reads 19.11.19 'Another disappointing and frustrating year': Homeless charity helped more people than ever in 2018 17.11.19 'Babies are being born homeless': Charity demands action from government on child homelessness 15.11.19 'If you said 50 years ago there would be families living in tents because they can't afford rent, I would have laughed'The ICHH volunteers say they are also preparing for the continuing winter months, the charity’s busiest time of year.

Three other homeless men are inside – one wrapped in a sleeping bag huddled by the door, one staring out the window and a third lying near the desk.

And what do these low life’s do gardainfo GardaTraffic harass intimidate abuse and that’s both the homeless and those trying to help. Words fail me

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