Cork Circuit Court

You may recall a post from Monday.

It was about an item on Today with Seán O’Rourke, in which journalist Brian O’Connell reported on repossession cases that were heard last Wednesday at Cork Circuit Court.

On that day, there were 52 cases before the court involving a family home.

Today, there are 40 such cases listed in the Cork Circuit Court – also all involving a family home.

Specifically, on Wednesday, Mr O’Connell spoke to a mother of five in Cork who appeared in court without the knowledge of her family.

The woman’s house is back in positive equity, and it was reported that her debt amounts to around €30,000.

Her repayments are €800 a month but she can only afford €500 a month.

She was just after receiving an adjournment until May when Mr O’Connell spoke to her.

Very distressed, she told Mr O’Connell:

“I don’t have Christmas decorations up, I don’t have any Christmas shopping done, I actually, I love Christmas, but I can’t think. You don’t think about anything else, when this is going on.”

“My youngest, the other day, he wanted change for a collection for Focus and he said, ‘Mum, at least we’ll help some homeless person’ and I’m actually thinking ‘that could be you’. And it’s so tough and it’s so hard…”

“I can feel my whole body crumbling. I’m so tired, so weary all the time. I’d give anything just to sleep, sleep, just to actually not be thinking constantly, not be worrying constantly.”

Further to this…

Mr O’Connell spoke to the woman last night – after she received a call from an unidentified woman who said they wanted to pay €10,000 towards her arrears.

Mr O’Connell said, in total, some €15,000 in donations have been made to the woman in the past two days.

She told Mr O’Connell:

“I cannot believe the reaction to this. I have just spoken to a woman who wants to pay off some of the arrears on my account. A substantial amount of the arrears. What amazes me is people’s generosity. But the thing is, going through all of this, you feel so worthless. I actually feel quite bubbling inside at the moment.”

“I feel, I’ve got a chance, I actually have got  a chance for the first time in years but now I’m crying again and I, but for a totally different reason. I don’t want to name the woman, in case she doesn’t want to be known but she knows we’ve just been speaking. Thank you so much, thank you and please, please know that what you have done is just I feel I can walk a little taller again.”

“I cannot honestly put into words what I feel at the moment…I want to thank them so much, every single person that got in touch…people are so good. [I’ll have] a completely different Christmas. Honestly, I’ve put up my decorations. I’m smiling a bit more, I am definitely a lot more cheerful, I actually think I’m going to make it through this. I have had no hope for so long. All I’ve been thinking about ‘how long, how long more can I hold on?’ ‘Can I make it through this occasion, can I just make it through this occasion?”

Previously: ‘I’d Give Anything Just To Sleep…To Not Be Thinking Constantly, Not Be Worrying’