Homelessness in Galway (Mark Kennedy RIP thread)

hawkwind23 · 09-12-2014 11:36pm #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4d-FMCiLuI

dont think this has been posted before.
Excellent footage of the plight of the homeless on the streets of Galway

Eeden · 10-12-2014 12:25am

That video is from over 20 years ago, so things could be much different now in terms of numbers, services available, etc.

Sadly, though, I have no doubt that in general the problem is probably worse now than it was back then.

Mrs OBumble · 10-12-2014 12:36am

Every culture in human history has had people who cannot live in houses, people who have substance abuse problems and don't want help with them, and people who just want to spend their days hanging out on the streets. And conflict between them an the retailers who pay rent for their premises and have a problem when paying customers are put off coming in because the street people frighten off regular people.

Interesting the way that the vid equates buskers and street-people: I'd say that very few of the latter now are able to play an instrument at all.

ben.schlomo · 10-12-2014 12:42am

OP you really should have said that the video is donkey years out of date, in no way reflects Galway now(id forgotten how many actual crusties used to be here), bar that Dennis is still knocking around.

biko · 10-12-2014 1:53am

I'm sure things have changed since 1992-1994, probably not for the better.

Mrs OBumble · 10-12-2014 10:03am

Actually mental health services have got a lot better at dual diagnosis stuff (alcohol addiction + whatever else) in the last 20 years. I don't remember Galway back then, but I know at home the difference on the streets over the 10 years i lived in a particular neighbourhood was dramatic.

hawkwind23 · 10-12-2014 10:10am

I think its a vital piece and i remember it being made.

I think there is more of a disconnect now , we no longer know their names , they no longer have a voice, as mentioned in the article , they are no longer economically viable , they cant be marketed , broken consumers and therefore useless.

Interesting to me that there was some sort of debate on the issues , i cant speak for Galway now but i suspect there would be no more debate , just arrest them and get them out of the way.

As Biddy said , you just never know what misfortune could be round the corner , the homeless were once someones son , daughter , father , mother , friend.

it opens up good debate

what has been learned?
what could be done better?

_Whimsical_ · 10-12-2014 2:42pm

I was shocked to hear someone from COPE on GBfm during the week say that there are now 7 families in Galway who are homeless and staying in shelters with 20 kids between them. I think he said there were another 17 families with 40 kids between them who had lost there homes and were staying temporarily with friends and relations because they have no where else to go.

You'd think from the news that it was only a problem in Dublin and I expected there wasn't a big problem with it in Galway, or at least I didn't think so many families were affected as this is a pretty small city really.

Mrs OBumble · 10-12-2014 3:29pm

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I was shocked to hear someone from COPE on GBfm during the week say that there are now 7 families in Galway who are homeless and staying in shelters with 20 kids between them. I think he said there were another 17 families with 40 kids between them who had lost there homes and were staying temporarily with friends and relations because they have no where else to go.

That's a whole different group of homeless people from what the video is about.

Rent Allowance caps are too low, and government have changed the rules and lowered limits several times in recent years, meaning tenants have had to ask landlords for rent reductions. So naturally enough, more and more landlords won't take Rent Allowance. Combine that with economic recovery and a housing market that was tight pre-crash, and now where lots of people aren't selling 'cos they're in negative equity - and you end up with lots of families finding it hard to find rental accommodation.

biko · 10-12-2014 3:37pm

Suppose this is a good time to mention that Pura Vida Cafe (I think that's the name) by Jury's Inn has "suspended coffees". You buy 2 but leave one "suspended". A homeless person can then come in and get that coffee for free.
Something to consider now when it's so cold.

_Whimsical_ · 10-12-2014 3:56pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

That's a whole different group of homeless people from what the video is about.

Rent Allowance caps are too low, and government have changed the rules and lowered limits several times in recent years, meaning tenants have had to ask landlords for rent reductions. So naturally enough, more and more landlords won't take Rent Allowance. Combine that with economic recovery and a housing market that was tight pre-crash, and now where lots of people aren't selling 'cos they're in negative equity - and you end up with lots of families finding it hard to find rental accommodation.

Yes, just thought it was worth mentioning all the same so that people might be mindful of the issue. I have always donated to the Simon Community and SVP at Christmas, I'll make more of an effort this year that I know these organisations are under extra pressure and have another section of society,like families,to help provide a Christmas for.It was of interest to me so I was just passing it on.

El_Dangeroso · 10-12-2014 6:34pm

That video was nostalgia overload. Where did all the new-age travellers go in the end?

ben.schlomo · 10-12-2014 8:13pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

That video was nostalgia overload. Where did all the new-age travellers go in the end?

Rossport? Various 'occupy' campsites?

FouxDaFaFa · 10-12-2014 11:00pm

biko wrote: »

Suppose this is a good time to mention that Pura Vida Cafe (I think that's the name) by Jury's Inn has "suspended coffees". You buy 2 but leave one "suspended". A homeless person can then come in and get that coffee for free.
Something to consider now when it's so cold.

I'm pretty sure Coco café by Debenhams/Roches does this too.

inisboffin · 11-12-2014 12:11am

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

That video was nostalgia overload. Where did all the new-age travellers go in the end?

Complete blasts from the past! Actually some are still here, living and working (some got a haircut). Others still doing the same thing further afield.

howyanow · 11-12-2014 1:33am

Thought it was a sad documentary really,sad to see people lose their lives to alcohol.
surprised to see the amount of English people that came over to busk.

does anyone else remember a large tented community that camped in salthill around the same time as this was filmed?
vaguely remember it being on the news.
wonder why they were there and did it cause much trouble for the local businesses etc?

youngrun · 11-12-2014 9:33am

Great film , some very familiar faces in it - are Denis and Tom Power still on the go ? Sad to see the filmmaker Niall Hughes passed away remember his face well.

11-12-2014 10:46am

biko wrote: »

Suppose this is a good time to mention that Pura Vida Cafe (I think that's the name) by Jury's Inn has "suspended coffees". You buy 2 but leave one "suspended". A homeless person can then come in and get that coffee for free.
Something to consider now when it's so cold.

That's good to hear, think this idea started out in the US a while back.

Does anyone know if homeless people actually know about it?

ben.schlomo · 11-12-2014 11:05am

Juliette Teeny Prize wrote: »

That's good to hear, think this idea started out in the US a while back.

Does anyone know if homeless people actually know about it?

Nope it was started in Naples, called a 'caffè sospeso', has been tradition there for many many moons.

Iwannahurl · 11-12-2014 1:16pm

howyanow wrote: »

Thought it was a sad documentary really,sad to see people lose their lives to alcohol.

surprised to see the amount of English people that came over to busk.

It's remarkable that some of those well-known faces are still with us.

A few of the people interviewed reminded me of Big Bag of Sticks.

They didn't do so badly since:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUoXQ2IcViU

inisboffin · 11-12-2014 5:07pm

There was indeed a Big Bag Of Sticks member in that video. Many of BBOS and bands like The Big Geraniums etc went on to play music on all manner of levels and around the world.

bodhrandude · 12-12-2014 12:27am

hawkwind23 wrote: »

I think its a vital piece and i remember it being made.

I think there is more of a disconnect now , we no longer know their names , they no longer have a voice, as mentioned in the article , they are no longer economically viable , they cant be marketed , broken consumers and therefore useless.

Interesting to me that there was some sort of debate on the issues , i cant speak for Galway now but i suspect there would be no more debate , just arrest them and get them out of the way.

As Biddy said , you just never know what misfortune could be round the corner , the homeless were once someones son , daughter , father , mother , friend.

it opens up good debate

what has been learned?
what could be done better?

I remember Niall Rivers and Mark Kennedy making this too, Hawkwind23 I remember a lot of names from this, Polly the fiddler (Laughing girl) RIP, Kess (Kevin burns) - Flautist still going strong and living in Belfast, Matty Dread now living in Cork City.

Peatbog: English dreadlock fellah getting interviewed near the end (About a freebie for Macnas drummers at the Arts Festival, where Peatbog was turned away from Setantas) and a Member of the Galway based group Big Bag of Sticks, Still going strong and living in England.

Wee Padraig Gilmartin from Carna god rest his soul, I remember busking in Shop St outside Taaffes Bar and Padraig came up to me he was pretty smashed but merry with it and he shook my hand with such a grip and sang a Gaelic ballad and before I knew it he was pumping my hand, I know that sounds weird but its a Gaelic thing to do with keening as far as I know but that was simply amazing.

Rasta A.D: the English dreadlock fellah with a darker complexion still around somewhere. Plus a lot who are named already, will update currently re-watching as this awakes so many memories, will update with some more names. Also OP Hawkwind are the business along with Gong, 1967 - 72 Pink Floyd and Aphex Twin.