From top: Tullamore town, County Offaly; Homeless activist Ken Smollen’s Facebook message
Named locally as Conor O’Hagan, who originally hails from Clonakilty in Cork, he was “hospitalised recently due to the effects of sleeping outdoors and has passed away this evening,” Smollen said. “May he rest in peace,” Smollen said. The cause of his death is not yet known.
Ken Smollen recalled his interaction with the young man in Tullamore: “I only spoke to him once when I gave him a sleeping bag and some food. A number of people tried to help him on numerous occasions, and as far as I’m aware he has been in Tullamore for about 5 months,” he told the Offaly Express.
“He could be seen regularly on the bridge over the river and beside the Bridge House or in other locations on William Street. The last time I saw him he was busking outside the AIB. I know that he was hospitalised about 2 months ago. I haven’t personally seen him on the streets since that,” Smollen added.
UPDATED: Homeless man dies in Tullamore (Offaly Express)
Top pic: Millhouse.ie
We all thought it was so great when the huge walled mental hospitals were closed down and their inhabitants released into the “care of the community”.
We all thought it was such a wonderful broadening of responsible home ownership when councils sold council houses and flats to their inhabitants.
We all thought austerity would change Ireland so people would hark back to a warmer past and look after each other.
Strange, I don’t remember thinking any of those things. Also, there was nothing wrong with Councils permitting tenants to purchase their homes PROVIDED that more were built.
Were there no state services that could have engaged with the unfortunate man if he has been floating about the streets for 5 months, in full view of the whole town, sad/worrying state of affairs if the young man just slipped throught the cracks
Can’t someone else do it?
Yes, someone appropriately qualified to deal with substance addiction or potential mental health issues, employed by the state to reduce the vunerablity of at-risk citizens..
Are you sure that nobody appropriately qualified to deal with substance addiction or potential mental health issues, employed by the state tried to help him?
That was my question.
There are no mental health professionals employed by the state any more, just a never-ending series of waiting lists that curve back on themselves in a huge infinity sign.
I’m sure simon harris will launch another report into this..
Not at all. They’ll first have to call a meeting to set out an agenda for a commission that will investigate if an independent consultant should be contracted to engage in exploratory talks with the relevant parties to then see if a report should be drawn up on this matter. Thankfully the FG leadership scramble will cause a timely distraction.