Brendan Ryan first became involved with Cork Simon in 1973. He is
a long-standing voluntary Board member. Brendan recounts Cork Simon’s
early days and the shelter on John Street.

"You must remember, when I joined Cork Simon it was just after the 60s, and in fact some people say the 60s didn't hit Ireland until the 70s you know, given Ireland's slowness about things.

It was meant to be a community; there weren't meant to be bosses or service providers and service receivers. And in many ways there weren't.

It would be unfair to play down the degree to which Simon was a community. It would also be unfair to romanticise it because, looking back, it was anything but romantic.”

Brendan talks about a senior public figure's patience "with a bunch of slightly anarchic young people”…