Des Murphy - LEAP Ambassador
"Homelessness for me is within: I never had a home, I had a house, bricks and mortar, but I never had a home."
40 Faces of Focus Ireland
For our 40 year anniversary, Focus Ireland is featuring “40 faces” to tell our story. The series of videos and photos include interviews with: present and past staff from across the organisation; customers and LEAP Ambassadors who have accessed our services; plus volunteers, fundraisers and supporters who have made this vital work possible over the last 40 years.
Customers and Supporters
Keile Odanza - LEAP Ambassador
“I think I’m strong enough now to realise that I need to be happy for me and not for everyone else..."
James Flanagan - LEAP Ambassador
"She’s a better person, ten times better than she was back then, now and so am I.”
Clare McKenna - Public Figure & Supporter
"Everybody has a different story to tell and need different supports."
Gino Salveta- Fundraiser/Supporter (Dublin)
"I think there are still a lot of people who are skeptical about charities and question their motives..."
Support Staff
Pat Dennigan - CEO
"I have to view success in each of the households and small units that we see them in..."
Grainne Kennedy - Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy
"What I love most about Sr Stan is the story of how she started Focus Ireland and her dedication to women who were homeless..."
Conor Culkin -Communications Officer
“The type of work that we do every single day really fits my values.”
Siobhán Merriman-Breuer - Policy Officer
“It's a shameful aspect of society and it shouldn't be the case..."
Emma Webberly - Marketing Manager
“We are funding roughly half of the income of the organisation, so we work very very closely with our services.”
Noemi Milani - Brand Manager
"Housing has moved from being a human right, as it should be, into becoming a commodity."
Eoin Fitzsimons - Campaigns Officer
"We try to give people a safe and stable home. If you don't have that, how can you have any voice at all?"
Daniel Hoey - Research Manager
"I've always had an interest in social justice and fighting inequality in this country..."
Roughan MacNamara - Head of Communications
Service Staff
Paddy Markey - Chef (Coffee Shop)
"We help each other out and it’s like one big happy family downstairs (in the kitchen)."
Neil Forsyth - Head of Youth Services
"We need to address the root causes of homelessness... the inequalities that exist within Ireland."
Marie Farrell - Peer Worker (Coffee Shop)
"When I was at my lowest, she gave me as much support as she could to get my life back. I’ll be forever in her debt.”
Qusair Mahomed - Project Worker (Aftercare)
"There are so many positive stories - it's only within the last year that we've been able to start moving people on..."
Lauren Egan - Graduate (CRFI Limerick)
“The values are my own, I wouldn’t be working here if I didn’t believe that everyone deserves a home."