There were a lot of memorable moments on this trip and it would be hard to choose only one to sum up this year’s Aisling group break in Wicklow but my favourite one was at Glasnevin cemetery on the beautifully summery day before Paddy’s Day. Gerry was standing looking lost with that uncertain smile he… Read More
I had decided not to mention the weather after the last couple of bulletins were festooned with references to rain or sunshine. I don’t want readers to get the idea that there’s nothing else going on in Aisling and I’m padding the text with Michael Fish impressions. However I am going to have to go… Read More
On the way back home Phyllis announced that she would like to visit her cousin in Spiddal. She had procrastinated about meeting her for some time but now as we were approaching Spiddal the time presented itself and we stopped and asked for the address in the local shop where she used to work. The… Read More
Joe arrived from Robertson Street, a south London hostel where we do a lot of work with their Irish clients. Sarah, his keyworker brought him to Camden for the pick up and was beaming at the prospect of Joe going to Galway with Aisling. This will be his first trip home in 30 years and… Read More
The ferry companies were making hay in this sunshine unclouded by invisible dust particles and scalped us almost £100 per head for the privilege. It was the same old Ullyses though, no gold handrails on the stairs from the car deck or goose-feather down on the bunks, nor did we travel via the Mediterranean or… Read More
‘I started work at 14 in a toy factory in Dublin where they used to make furniture for dolls houses. Well, my father was making a dolls house for my younger sister at nights and me and a friend thought that we would rob some bits of dolls furniture from the factory to put in… Read More
We crossed over to Dublin early in December into freezing fog and flooded fields. After breakfast at the always friendly and amazingly generous Collins’s café for freezing emigrants in Portmarnock we were fed and rested after a stressful journey and then headed off into white-out. Niamh Collins and her family always provide an exceptional breakfast… Read More
“Good morning, I was out for Saint Patrick’s day in Dublin yesterday and had the pleasure of meeting client’s of yours with John, I think his surname was Glynn….it was the first time in my life I was truly touched by a charity or organisation such as your own. My friends took some photos of… Read More
Sometimes things go just right. There is no way of knowing how or when the world is about to turn to our advantage but when it does the wheels on the wagon turn smoother and everyone’s smiles are broader. Well almost everyone. Margaret has had a tough life and there seems to be no sign… Read More
Outside the Irish Centre in Camden we were loading up the minibuses with the returnees who had arrived for the trip to Kerry. We were already half an hour late and four of the clients and one volunteer worker were missing. We asked around the group if anyone had seen the missing lads recently, Donie… Read More
