Dick O’Brien began volunteering with our Soup Run in 2001 and went on to work at Tír na nÓg and other locations. Upon retirement, Dick returned to volunteering by organising Christmas parties until Covid-19 hit.

Dick talks about the importance of building connections in the local community. 

”I used to arrange sing-songs to cool people’s heads. It was a great way if things were getting stormy to get a few fellas or a few women singing along to quieten things down. That was one thing I was always into.

When I went to Tír na nÓg, I started the Christmas parties. We had a party that year; a massive crowd, a great evening and for the whole time that I was there it carried on, and I went back there every year until the pandemic. I did organise parties in Victoria Roadd also, they were equally as good.

Coming back to the parties was a great way of repaying Simon for what they meant to me. Cork Simon is, and always will be, part of me. What it gave me, nothing else could give to me."

Dick talks about the importance of a word on the street...