JJ lives independently with visiting support. Homeless for 20 years before moving to Cork Simon independent accommodation, JJ has embraced the liberty and peace of his new life. As he says, he’s “definitely changed”. 

“I wouldn’t deny it; I’m an alcoholic.

But now I’ve got my own gaff and it’s kept clean and all that, I can buy drink out the shop, I’m allowed. 

Walk past the cop shop, which I don’t like to, but I walk past it; no bother at all.

Come home, with my shopping and all that. I sit on my doorstep, listen to music, have a drink and a smoke, bother nobody else ”