Search Results for 'Dennis Connolly'

This city has changed much over the past 30 or 40 years. The type of people who live in it have a different perspective from those who once did. The buildings have changed, the public spaces, the street coverings, the ambience.

The realities of life on the streets, sleeping in doorways, in old sheds, in dark damp corners where the ill-wind blowing in from the bay always finds a way to find you. Living a half-life in the half light of a city that you think doesn’t care. You walk through the streets, almost invisible. If they see you, they don’t look for fear you will ask them for something they cannot give, like time, or a kind word, or a smile.

The Simon Community takes its name from Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry the cross. It was founded in London in 1963 by Anton Wallich-Clifford and a branch was set up in Dublin in 1969. Early in 1979, Frank O’Leary OFM spoke at a meeting in Galway entitled Poverty in Ireland about the work of Simon in providing shelter, friendship, and acceptance to homeless people. Two psychology students, Margaret Brehony and Kathy O’Grady, drew attention to the fact that there were rough sleepers in Galway too.

The Connacht Mineral Water Company was incorporated 80 years ago tomorrow, on July 6 1938. The first board meeting was held on July 18 and the following were appointed as directors: John Keane, chairman; John E Cotter, vice-chairman; and Paul O’Dea, secretary and managing director.