Niamh Ryan and Jim Kelly
Young mother faces being homeless within the month
A MOTHER in temporary woman’s refuge accommodation is facing homelessness in a month due to the dire lack of available places to live.
Niamh Ryan (30) has a four-year-old daughter Ailbhe and has been staying at accommodation in Tallaght for the last three months.
However, the temporary arrangement ends on June 2 and despite looking everywhere for a place, Niamh has been unable to find anything, such is the disastrous state of housing accommodation in the country.
“My worst fear is ending up in a hostel with my daughter. It is fear of the unknown and what she will be exposed to,” said Niamh of the dangers that exist at hostels.
“There is not even room available at family hubs. I know women who are in them years, they can’t move on because there is nowhere to go.”
Fear drove Niamh from the family home. She suffered emotional abuse from a family member and wanted to protect her child.
“I didn’t want my daughter growing up in that environment.”
Playing in the Street Leagues finals
Niamh rang emergency housing at Dublin City Council (DRHE) and was told to ring Women’s Aid.
Although she is on the housing list with the city council and put in an application on ‘exceptional housing grounds’, it has been a difficult process to date with no solution in sight.
“You apply for places but get nothing back, no response. When I was in the council making an application, there was three people ahead of me and they were all homeless.
“There used to be a stigma about homelessness but not anymore.”
Despite the bleak situation, Niamh remains upbeat, working as a special needs assistant in Larkin Community College in Dublin 1.
Lidia, Casey, Abby, Vanessa, Linda and Alison
She also captained the Irish women’s team to a trophy last year in South Korea during the Homeless World Cup 2024.
“The Irish manager Mary Byrne works with me in Larkin, she invited me down to the street leagues. We started slow but then went on a roll in South Korea. It was deadly.”
Niamh comes from a sporting background, playing camogie for Na Fianna, and has run the Dublin marathon the last two years, with plans to run the Belfast marathon this year.
A sporting stamina will be required in the months ahead as she tries to secure accommodation for her daughter.
