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WHEN YOU THINK about homelessness, there’s a tendency to use broad strokes.
It involves sleeping on the streets. It’s mainly to do with alcohol and drugs. It’s not fixable.
As part of our Homeless Ireland series this week, one of the big things we want to do is to hear from homeless people about what their lives are like. To tell their stories about how they ended up where they are and particularly about what their life is like every day.
Our journalists travelled around the country and asked homeless people they met to answer a short number of questions about their lives on index cards that we gave them.
The questions were difficult to put together at first. A lot of them were scrapped: it’s hard to ask people about one of the most difficult things in their life without coming across as patronising.
Instead, we focused on the day-to-day stuff. How long have you been homeless? What’s your biggest fear? What do you think of the gardaí? What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this week?
We’re going to be tweeting some of the answers over the course of the week on our dedicated @HomelessIreland account, and using them throughout our coverage, but you can get a peek at some of them here. We didn’t ask for respondents’ names or identifying details but some people provided them anyway.
Where would you like to be in a year’s time?
“Off tablets and have some sort of job. I would do any type of work. Peace of mind.”
Do you feel safe?
“No I feel very vulnerable.”
How do you think people who are not homeless view people who are homeless?
“They view us as dirt like we deserve it but it can happen to anyone.”
Why do you think people become homeless/
“Because of family problems and when my mam and dad died everything fell apart.”
What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
“Got food and money off passers-by whilst sleeping in a door way.”
What three words would you use to describe being homeless?
“Sad, wanting 2 die, you don’t feel any good, you can’t see hope and that’s what everyone need just 2 feel good that’s all.”
What is the hardest thing about being homeless?
“It can get monotonous, you can’t plan ahead or be productive. Stressful”.
What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
“I got donated lots of baby clothes, baby bottles, sterilisers, moses baskets. I’m 6 months pregnant with twins and I can’t afford much so I’m grateful there are people out there that can donate.”
Anything you’d like us to know?
“Finding myself homeless at sixty was simply unbelievable. Very difficult to get my head around it. Realising I had no home which means no postal address. Living in a community where people know the name and address of the homeless shelter and look at you differently when you give it as your current temporary address.”
What makes you feel safe?
“A private life living alone with enough money to do basic things in life and manage my own affairs and bank account.”
What do you think of the gardaí?
“Fuck them.”
What does the word ‘home’ mean to you?
“Comfort of family – to go out, to work or whatever – and have somebody to come home to. Not quite that simple but!!!”
What is your biggest fear?
“My biggest fear is that I won’t be able to live in my own home over all the problems I have I just want to settle down and live a normal life I don’t wanna be homeless ever again.”
How do you think people who are not homeless view people who are homeless?
“Rubbish scum piece of shit.”
What is the hardest thing about being homeless?
“Being in the Fairgreen [hostel in Galway] not being ungrateful but sharing my life with total strangers is hard.”
Where would you like to be in a year’s time?
“Living in my new home. Health issues resolved. Plan an adventure. Create and implement plan to provide myself with financial security. Check in with councillors if necessary. PS: Make a note to those who helped me during this time and say thanks to them”.
What does the word ‘home’ mean to you?
“Everything”
Main pic: Andrew Bennett via Flickr/Creative Commons
All other pics: TheJournal.ie
I know a lot of people will scoff at this (who cares etc) but I for one thoroughly enjoyed rte’s kids shows when I was young. I know the tv landscape is different now, but I still think this is a shame.
Fortycoats was savage telly. I heard that Slightly Bonkers is an Rte exec now, or married to one.
Bosco was great show, cheesey as it was.
That’s because you had 2 channels to pick from at the time. You didn’t have a choice but to watch them.
I know Ben, but we were happy watching them all the same.
Preferred Bosco to Playschool on BBC!
Most young people watch YouTube, Netflix, online content , or they are glued to their smart phone not to mention the hundreds of digital channels to choose from, younger people are more sophisticated a sock puppet in a box & a magic door doesn’t cut it anymore !
@Hugh Mannatee:The first one was Mrs. Burgess in the Snapper.
Cut the huge salaries tubs.darcy o callaghan finucane Duffy etc.and keep the children’s programme’s.
Remember when Pat Kenny went to UTV and all the media were saying how big a coup it was, how he would draw in the audiences, how did that turn out?
These deluded eejits think their big salaries are justified because they’re irreplaceable and a big draw, most of RTÉs big names are wooden and charmless and wouldn’t be missed.
Demographics play a big, big part in it, RTE is the mainstay for alot of the mid to older generations, radio and television combined. Its not the presenter or producer, its the generations growing up on what station the parents and grandparents watched or listened to. RTE are continually focused on keeping the return customer, but are slowly realizing that the younger generation are well ahead of traditional products that they offer. It will in time catch up and will have all programs independently produced. Then we will have value for money, – the licence fee going to costs of production as opposed to the cost of salary of presenters.
@Tony Mcgrath:
Great idea, that will bring in the advertisement revenues alright
Except for Zig and Zag
It would make you wonder where all the license money goes. Oh I forgot it goes towards RTEs staffs paltry salaries and pensions.
Seemingly 12 million of it goes on the RTE concert orchestra. More than double what they spend on their entire internet presence.
@Paul Mc:
Very small pensions. All the high earners are self employed
@Nick Allen: Don’t let facts get in the way of a blind rant.
Doesn’t RTE have a massive pension deficit?
Screaming
I don’t but obviously you do. What a stupid post.
We are a country that is obsessed with what other people earn.
Be it public sector workers, RTE, you name it.
I couldn’t be arsed what others earn, only what I can earn for my family.
Well when we are paying their salaries via taxes and tv licences I think we have every right to be interested in what they are paid and asking are we getting value for our money.
Because at the end of the day that does impact what you earn for your family.
That’s me told Nick Allen. Stupid is as stupid does
@ Ted Logan. Explain how RTE staff (me) are getting paid our wages through your taxes ??? I get paid by RTE, RTE isn’t public sector, I don’t get paid by the government. Also a little FYI, the licence fee money doesn’t go towards paying anyone’s wages in RTE, it can’t !!!
Sickens me to pay the tv licence for the utter shite that’s on RTE 1, the only good programmes it puts on are repeats of Only Fools and Horses, and Fawlty Towers. As for Network 2 , that died a death a long time ago!
@Breda Jennings:
Over 10% of the population watch the late late every week. Considering the competition for viewership on a Friday night from other stations that is a really impressive number
Love the red thumbs. Makes you wonder about people
True 10%, but again licence fee going to help pay the fee of ridiculous guests such as Katie Hopkins who should not be given any air time at all.
Glad to say I dont pay a penny towards Tubs salary anymore, a tv licence is not a thing I have had for years!
People are di€ks Nick, people are di€ks.
Why should we not hear what Katie Hopkins has to say Breda?
Darcy could do with being sent down the river too.
Happy days watching pajo’s jukebox on sat morning
…and of course zig and zag, Bosco etc
Oh no couldn’t stand Bosco the whinging voice drove me nuts
loved Bosco !
@Suzie Sunshine: Did you really Suzie I guess if we all liked the same things it would be boring….wanderly wagon was another one ugh but my brothers loved it
RTE have an apparent select number of regulars who they wheel in and out of radio and TV programmes. These particular presenters don’t come cheaply and present in the same ol’ same ol’ fashion all the time, they are Tiresome boring and one trick ponies who are past their stale date. Perhaps RTE should consider importing adult programmes before altering the children’s schedule.
Hopefully this move will mean the end of the godawful Late Late Toy Show with all those creepy dancing children with Vaseline on their teeth.
Never got that. As a kid I hated the singing and dancing. Kids really hate watching “talented” kids strut their stuff.
They made plenty of stuff I really enjoyed as a child so its sad to see this door closed on RTE. Besides from the Den and its characters I actually liked the Disney Club, Echo Island, Stream and Creature Feature.
Childrens programming and Sports coverage were the two things I’ve felt RTE always did very well and it’s poor indictment of the organisation that these would be the first things to be scrapped in difficult times. You wonder what sort of sense it makes for their long term ambitions to double down their resources on the over 50 audience and let everyone else feck off to the internet.
I don’t pay the license fee. I never watch it, they have all the advertising Tv3 and Utv Ireland, have but hey it’s a level playing field.
@sparky:
Its not a level playing field. Educate yourself a little about what RTE must do before posting BS
@sparky: You don’t pay so who cares what you think.
@ Nick Allen. what’s your point..I must educate myself on the advertising RTE receive. or my ” tongue in cheek comment”
Sparky, you might not pay for the license but you still pay in other ways. For example it costs 20 million a year in general taxation to administer the collection of the license fee and about the same to cover the inspectors. Not to mention what it costs the state to prosecute non payment. Like it or lump it you’re paying even if you’re not paying.
@Screaming Toddy. I don’t care who thinks what I think but do I care what you think because you “pay”..probably not..
@Poole Hyde. Well that means I’m only paying once…correct me if I’m wrong..are you paying twice.
Sparky
To educate yourself about the facts before posting rubbish. RTÉ is not playing on a level playing field as they must make a certain amount of programmes in the Irish language and specifically cover rural issues that would not have a positive commercial business case
Sparky
You are starting to sound a tad confused :)
@Sparky. God no… I honestly have no need for RTE what so ever. Their news sucks, their feeble attempts at drama are laughable and don’t even get me started on their sports coverage. Technically though I don’t have a television by legal standards. The law is very clear in that you need a set capable of receiving television signals for general broadcast. I’ve a 40″ inch computer monitor I picked up for 300 euro and stream content not “available for general broadcast”.Granted it’s sitting in the corner of the room like a conventional TV but they can kiss the back of my bollix if they think I’m paying a license for it. Nearly everything is either available through catch up/streaming services, Netflix/Prime or even on YouTube.I kept the receipt as well and it clearly states it’s a computer monitor.My 4g reception is even good enough not to need conventional broadband so happy days.
We will never see the likes of Kevin from Galway again.
FFFGLAB mouthpiece, should be sold off
There’s a clever leftie there. Sell off the public broadcaster. Let me guess, to a private company that will be a mouthpiece for who?
If it stops another Ray darcy getting through the net then so be it.Jaysus he’s worse than worse.
@Greg Kelly. .sell it ta f#ck..won’t make a difference in my life.
Why don’t they sell off RTE Radio2 and try to get dept of Gaelteach to take over TG4
Then they would have enough money for children’s programmes
Every current affairs programme has a SF politician they must live in Montrose
@Dave cullen: The sad thing is, look who came after Ray-they had less of an impact, either down to not being good enough, or no charisma. Francie, Damien whatever his name was. They disappeared.
But the first two presenters of the Den-Ian and Ray, they hung around. They had presence. Ian is still a favourite presenter of mine, tbh-both he has talent and presence on the radio.
Ray used to have genuine talent-like, back in the days of The Den, Blackboard Jungle, Jo Maxi, his early footsteps in radio, etc. He was a genuine talent, his listenership would constantly prove a pain in the neck to RTE because he was a rival presenter they allowed to go to another station.
But boy did he become an opinionated jerk.
And a twittering fool at times- the PAmela Anderson/ Dean Strang interview, for example- that was painful, both times. I tuned in, on my tv for the Strang interview…shouldn’t have bothered, tbh. But the ‘JAck Nicholson interview’…that was horrific. And he didn’t take blame, he passed the buck, but the buck rested on his shoulders.
God, he had so much potential…what happened?
@Greg Kelly: ‘Clever leftie’ ? No idea what that means, I am actually right handed…
Yes, sell off the Montrose Bubble, the inflated salaries will disappear, the propaganda will be phased out
Children’s programmes will still be broadcast by RTÉ, they just won’t be produced by RTÉ. I doubt that children will notice the difference.
@ Ciaràn Masterson…no they probably won’t but who cares about our culture…
@sparky:
When Irish culture is mentioned, people usually think of novels and stage plays, e.g. The Playboy of the Western World, not children’s programmes.
@sparky: Irish independent programme makers still exist and can make children’s TV so what are you on about.
@ Ciaràn Masterson. How do you define culture…Glenroe played a big part in my cultural upbringing. .as it did in many of the Irish households. .
@sparky:
Of course, culture includes drama – on film, television and the stage – but my point still stands.
@ Ciaràn Masterson. .of course it does..but you have to remember but ‘maybe” you’re too young to remember when RTE is all us country folk had.
Now all we need is for them to stop making TV programs for older people too
‘member Jo Maxi?
any chance they’d stop making any shows?? maybe fcuk off so we don’t have to pay for the tripe the force upon us ????
This is disgraceful TV licences pay for content for all of the citizens of the country
Bring back the den!!!
tv license should be a bit cheaper now so
So there goes another piece of a state asset, over to the private sector a bit more…
More money to pay muppets like Tubridy instead!
Another cost saver, out-source all foreign correspondent jobs. We have Rte reporters scattered far and wide. How many boiled eggs are consumed in Tokyo on a Wednesday morning? Over to our correspondent, camera and sound crew to find out??
They could do us all a favour and stop making Tv shows altogether their is so much rubbish on the Irish channels . When RTÉ do have a good show it winds up on BBC the following year . The biggest waste of money every year is a Tv licence .
“independent production companies”… you mean like Miriam O’Callaghan’s? RTE and cronyism, jaysus I’m in shock
Snotser signing on now. Peaked when he roared ‘f*ck you, deputy Stagg!’. Or was that somebody else I’m thinking of?
Back when Mary Robinson used to be relevant.
Good they were all crap
Who needs it when minecraft youtube is all they watch.. :)
What are we paying a to licence for
The point being the good kids shows are in the past,they were magic. Now rate should just go as if it wasnt for the sport itd just be fine.Gaels propaganda channel
No young person would want to listen their their dribble. I want radio lyric FM to be piped into prison cessl for 3 hours a day to prevent re- offending. Its all boring
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