‘They’re brilliant’: Centre helped local man after losing his home
By Rebekah O'Reilly and Conor Burke
Athlone resident Cyril Lonican has praised the support he received from The Good Shepherd Centre after he found himself without a home when the apartment he had been living in was sold.
Originally from Mullingar, Cyril had been living and working in Athlone for a number of years when he was told he had to leave his accommodation.
“It was sold and I had to go,” Cyril said.
He was subsequently put in contact with The Good Shepherd Centre through Westmeath County Council, and said the organisation helped him get back on his feet and find new accommodation.
“It’s a very good service,” he said. “I was put in contact with them through the county council, and they helped me to find accommodation.”
He is just one example of a positive force the Good Shepherd Centre have become in the area even after such a short time in the Athlone and Midlands region
Cyril was speaking at a coffee morning hosted by The Good Shepherd Centre at St Kieran’s Community Centre in Athlone on Wednesday, October 7, to mark World Homelessness Day.
He said he had never heard of the organisation before being referred to it, but praised the support he has received.
“They have helped me with everything. If there’s something they can’t help with, they work with me to try to find an answer. They’re brilliant.”
Cyril also spoke about the changes he has made in his own life, saying he has now been sober from alcohol for eight weeks.
“I keep myself occupied doing gardening and jobs for elderly people, and I go to bingo two or three times per week,” he said.
The Good Shepherd Centre used Wednesday’s event to introduce its services to other organisations working with vulnerable people across the Midlands, while also strengthening links with services already operating in the community.
Representatives from a number of organisations attended, including Athlone Family Resource Centre and the Samaritans.
The Good Shepherd Centre expanded its reach into the Midlands in 2024, having originally established its services in Kilkenny in the 1980s. It now operates across Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford.
The organisation’s Regional Manager, Paulina Molloy, said The Good Shepherd Centre hopes to introduce beds in Athlone and the wider Westmeath area in the future.
“The need is clearly there, we see the need,” Paulina told the Westmeath Independent.
The organisation currently supports around 85 households, with referrals coming through the local authority.
“High-support services are handled directly through the Local Authority, and the medium- to low-support cases come to us,” Paulina said.
“We help them to identify that route out of homelessness.”
The Good Shepherd Centre provides emergency accommodation, transitional housing and resettlement services, with the aim of supporting people towards sustained independent living.
Its ‘Own Front Door’ service provides emergency accommodation in a community housing-based setting, while its Long-Term Accommodation service supports tenants to maintain their tenancies through its role as an approved housing body.
The organisation also provides support services to people at risk of homelessness, alongside a range of other interventions and supports.
A key part of its work is “throughcare”, with personal action plans used to support people as they move towards independent living.
That work involves collaboration with local authorities, the HSE, local addiction services and Mental Health Services.
Along with this it works with people to help them back up on their feet and stay out of homelessness through community work and social events.
“There are many different reasons why people become homeless, including addiction, mental health and difficult home lives,” Paulina said.
“We need to work with other services that are available to get a positive outcome. Only when services come together can we achieve that wrap-around care.”
Wednesday’s coffee morning was also aimed at making local organisations more aware of the support available from The Good Shepherd Centre, which has only recently expanded into the Midlands.
“We are new to the Midlands, so we wanted to make sure other services knew that we are here and how to contact us,” Paulina said.
“We have had a really positive response. Many of the services have come which is great, and it’s been a very busy morning.”
The organisation also thanked the Hodson Bay Hotel, Savoury Fare Athlone, Creggan Court Hotel, and SuperValu for providing tea, coffee and refreshments, and St Kieran’s Community Centre for providing the hall free of charge.
The Good Shepherd Centre has two Midlands hubs, in Longford and Mullingar, which are open from 9am to 5.30pm.