Local Faces: Gerry McCarthy
By Maurice Garvey
HAVING spent over 40 years in youth services, the majority of young and old in the Dublin 10 area, know Gerry McCarthy, aka ‘Mr Optimistic’, a Manager with Ballyfermot Youth Services (BYS).
Ballyfermot through and through, Gerry grew up in the lower part of the area, lived in the middle part, and settled in the upper part (Cleggan Road) with his wife Marian, raising two their two sons Colm and Alan.
Despite what’s happening at the moment Gerry McCarthy is optimistic, “...I am an optimist, I was born an optimist”
It was Gerry’s involvement with community initiatives back in the 1970’s that saw him first become involved in work to help improve the lives of local residents.
“There was very little around 40 years ago. We were just looking at a film from 1976 that Ballyfermot Heritage Group are screening on Tuesday, and it was about the Community Reach, who established street committees.
“President Childers came out to Ballyfermot, it was his last public engagement. Ours was one of the biggest (community reach’s) in the country. Every street had a committee, that’s how I got involved.
“This led to the first semi-public sports complex in the country at Gurteen with a dedicated youth service, and that led to the establishment of places like the Orchard Centre, the Equine Centre, more so in the 1990s.”
Life is a lot different now compared to when Gerry starting out as a community leader.
Gerry McCarty
“The population of Ballyfermot in the 1970s was over 40k, and it is about 20k now. Contraception darling! All families had seven/eight/nine kids, that was normal. Even though we have more houses now, the population is less. People moved out to other areas, Tallaght was a big congregation.”
Besides household demographics, McCarthy cites education as perhaps the most significant change over the last four decades.
“Big improvements in education and access to education, it is huge. Historically we had less than five per cent going to third level, but now that is up to 50-60 per cent which is incredible.
Gerry McCarty
There are still issues but you have to create the right environment for people to reach their potential.”
BYS are one of the many groups and organisations who have helped to develop kids in the area, and it is not something an adult forgets when they have grown up.
“Fairly recently, we were at the skate park when it opened and I was meeting a lot of people who were young kids with us, adults now, and they were telling us that they have great memories of trips that they went on years ago,” said Gerry.
Gerry McCarty
The ability to provide good memories has been hampered by the pandemic, and although trips and many activities are curtailed, this has led to other ventures, including the Ballyfermot Arts Festival, which is currently running online for two weeks straight, and has generated a super response from the public.
Gerry continued: “We have been blown away by the response. Over 52k views and 26k engagement. Every post we have put up is viewed 2-300 times.
“The festival was something we were thinking of doing last summer. It was put back, then with covid, it was a case of ‘can we do something’ – movies, dramas, poetry, were already being done during lockdown.
Ballyfermot man through and through, Gerry McCarthy has spent over 40 years in youth services
“There was a few months planning. It shows you how you can use art to engage with people – the concerts are phenomenal.
“A love of Irish culture is in the blood for Gerry, who grew up with a keen interest in “trad music” and sent his two boys to Gaelscoil Inse Chor, where Marian taught.
Alan grew up to become a paramedic while Colm emigrated to the USA and works for Amazon in Washington.
Gerry McCarthy
“Last year was the first time he wasn’t able to come home for a visit,” said Gerry.
Dealing with the ups and downs comes naturally to a man like Gerry, who overcame prostate cancer three years ago with his trademark nonchalance.
“I was down for four months but it is a very simple procedure. They give you options, the system works great, and after the operation, you move on. You have to, it’s too busy.”
Gerry McCarthy
Staying busy is a comfortable fit for a man who seems to work eight days a week in the community, always involved, always out and about at one event or an activity, and respected by young and old.
Looking ahead, Gerry feels it is imperative the area does not lose any ground.
“We have to consolidate the work that has been done. The big challenge is to maintain the work and retain proper funding. There was big cuts in 2007, they have restored a good bit of it, but there is no use in having a nice building with no people in it. We have a fantastic 24-bed facility in the mountains that is only an hour away on the bus but we were not able to go last year. It is a great place to have the craic but it will return.
“That is the big thing that is missing, the interaction for people. But I am an optimist, I was born an optimist. We have some great European projects on the horizon and as soon as we are allowed, I know a lot of kids that will be rearing to get back out again.”
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