Two-week homeless vigil
By Maurice Garvey
BALLYFERMOT man Peter Murphy began a two-week homeless vigil in the city centre on Wednesday, to highlight the crisis on the streets in Dublin, reports Maurice Garvey.
Murphy (32), from Thomond Road, set up a soup run four years ago in Grafton street, and has previously slept on the streets to highlight the problem, but this time he is going the extra mile.
“I’m hoping to make people aware of the conditions people have to live in,” he said.
“Last year I went undercover in hostels. Not everyone in Ballyfermot is bad. This is about walking in their shoes.
“Rain, hail or sleet, I will be sleeping in doorways. There is no point doing it for one or two nights. The first week when you are homeless is the honeymoon period. The second week is when it really affects you.”
Murphy will post live videos to his Homeless Mobile Run Facebook page during the fortnight, featuring interviews with homeless people he meets.
“Homelessness is spiralling out of control. More people are getting kicked out of the HSE and told to call the freephone number. Some fall into drugs, the State is letting them down.”
Murphy’s pop-up tables on Grafton Street, feed approximately 400 people every Sunday, and up to 200 meals on a Wednesday.
His mother Bridget Murphy, who passed away last year, was a founder of the mobile soup run.
