Packie Bonner launches new Aire Family Addiction Support Group

Ireland's legendary soccer goalie Packie Bonner was in Athlone last week to officially launch the new Aire Family Addiction Support Group, set up to help offer help, support and information to those affected by alcohol or drug addiction in the town. Aire, the Irish for care, meets in Monksland Community Centre and St Kieran's Community Centre Tormey Villas each week, Area Volunteer Marie Reddin told the large assembled crowd at the event on Wednesday last in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel. The group was set up in 2007 after a seminar identified the need for a service to help families affected by addiction in the Athlone area. "The Aire Family Addiction Support Group aspires to provide a safe, confidential and non-judgemental place for family members affected by alcohol or drug addiction to meet for advice, support and information in the Athlone area," Marie explained, adding that trained volunteers provide a relaxed confidential environment for the initiative, supported by the statutory agencies like Gardaí, Rapid, HSE, along with the voluntary sector and local community groups like Athlone Drugs Awareness Group. In an engaging keynote speech, social rights campaigner Fr Peter McVerry said groups like Aire were vitally important and should be replicated across the country. He said in his view drugs were here to stay and, in that case, it was time everyone began to understand them in a bid to reduce the damage they do in our society. "It's time to get informed and deal with reality. Parents need to be familiar and become aware of the effects of drugs," he explained. Chairperson of Athlone Drugs Awareness Group Cllr Frankie Keena, who acted as MC at the event, thanked Fr Peter McVerry for his excellent presentation, calling on the public to support Aire's work which can make a real difference in the town. Supt Aidan Glacken of Athlone Garda Station commented that they were delighted to be supporting the service through the Community Policing Unit, which had enjoyed a 300% increase in numbers in recent years and wished Aire success in their aims. He explained the old idea of 'just say no' doesn't work, drugs exist and will exist and as adults we all have to take responsibility and try to deal with it to provide as good as society as possible. He went to say that how we react to the problem was the key to success and the criminal justice system with the help of agencies like the Probation Service was one of the ways, adding that there have been notable successes and there will be more in the future. Athlone's policing chief gave a firm commitment that his staff and resources will be available in the wider Athlone area to serve the community in a variety of ways across Community Policing, Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert schemes. Next to the podium was Ireland soccer legend Packie Bonner, now Technical Director with the FAI. Regaling the crowd with a funny story of his shortlived dabbling in cigarettes at 13 in Donegal only to be caught by the headmaster, he said sport was always his drug. "My drug was adrenalin. When I saved that penalty in Italia 90, I never jumped as high," he told an enthralled audience. "My childhood was all about football and my world is still about sport," he remarked. Society has changed a lot since his childhood, Bonner acknowledged, but it is a challenge and responsibility to deal with the drug problems, pointing out that sport can help people at risk get involved and bring them down a different road. In this way, sport, or football, he believed could be used a real tool to effect young people's lives in partnership with other groups and agencies on the ground. The former Ireland netminder called for sport to be put at the top of the agenda and programmes not to be cut in the year ahead, appealing to everyone to be more efficient and smarter with funding.