Damien’s Journey Out of Homelessness

“I didn’t go to America to find fame and fortune; I just knew I couldn’t survive at home. My father never sent so much as a kind word in my direction. He constantly knocked me; told me I was useless. I remember thinking if I didn’t get out of there, I’d start to believe him.” In America, Damien hoped to make a fresh start and find a sense of belonging.

Respected and Loved for the First Time

“When Americans see you’re willing to work hard they respect you. I was always seen as a good worker, I was proud of that. America was good to me, I loved it there and I found love there. I was in an amazing relationship for 12 years. She was a very kind, intelligent woman. It was the first loving relationship I’d ever had.”

Difficult Homecoming

After 25 years in America, Damien decided it was time to return home. But the Ireland he returned to differed greatly from the one he’d left behind. With impossibly high rents and accommodation in short supply, Damien found himself back living at home with his parents. One thing that hadn’t changed was Damien’s father’s attitude toward him. Once again, he found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of abusive and belittling comments. As his parents’ health began to fail Damien didn’t shy away from taking on the role of carer to them both.

That’s just the kind of person he is. Despite all the ways his father had let him down when he was growing up, Damien was there for him. When his mother passed away, Damien stayed on caring for his father in the family home. But as the older man’s health declined, it became clear that the care he needed was beyond what Damien could provide. “I wasn’t able to mind him well enough, I didn’t know about pads for the bed and stuff like that. So, I took the advice from the doctor and got a professional care worker. It was the right decision of course. But then all of a sudden, my father is looking at me like all I had done for the last three and a half years was nothing. No matter what I did I was useless in his eyes.”

Someone to Turn to

“Ireland is a very expensive place to live. Here I was with nowhere to go, and rent was out of my grasp.” “At first I had a few bob, so I stayed in a B+B, but I could see my savings running out fast. I decided I would stay once a week. Just to get a proper sleep and a shave. The rest of the week I slept rough outside Arnotts.” “When you’re on the streets you sleep with your stuff glued to you, with one eye open. You never feel safe. It’s hard in Ireland. It’s hard. It’s harder than it’s meant to be. I never thought I’d be in this situation.” “It was in a food line when someone suggested I try Merchants Quay, that’s how I ended up in Riverbank, and where I met Martin, the Crisis Support Project Worker.”

When you’re homeless there aren’t many places you feel welcome. At Riverbank the staff greet people who go there by name. And before they know it, there’s a cup of tea in their hand and someone ready to help by their side. It can be as simple as a chat and a chance to socialise or as complex as addiction support. Riverbank is here for everyone thanks to your love, kindness and compassion.

Working his Way Out

The challenge of finding suitable accommodation for Damien weighed heavily on Martin, who became his key worker. “Damien had never experienced homelessness before. No struggles with alcohol or drug addiction. I needed to find accommodation suitable for a man of his age in his situation.” His options were heartbreakingly limited, but Martin refused to give up. He secured Damien a hostel specifically for older men and got him access to social welfare payments, giving him some means by which he could start regaining control over his life again.

“I found myself in a hard situation and with Martin’s help, I’m working my way out of it. I’m very grateful to have somewhere to lay my head and a small bit of money to keep me going. It’s all thanks to Merchants Quay and the people who support them.

I hope that I won’t always have to be just surviving. I don’t know how much time I’ve left. It would be nice to have a place of my own someday, but I try to take one day at a time.”