An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 16 | by SGT WAYNE FITzGERALD PhOtOS/MAIN IMAGE by SGT WAYNE FITzGERALD "The road is long, with many a winding turn, that leads us to who knows where, who knows when. But I'm strong, strong enough to carry him, he ain't heavy, he's my brother. So on we go, his welfare is of my concern, no bur- den is he to bear, we'll get there. For I know, he would not encumber me, he ain't heavy, he's my brother." If you read the first two verses of "he Ain't heavy, he's My brother" the hit song by the hollies in 1969, then hopefully it will help you understand the ethos behind brú na bhfiann (home of the brave) and the Organisation for Ex-Servicemen and Women (ONE). On 31st January 2015, Defence Force Veterans who are not members of ONE visited Brú na Bhfiann for an open day where they would learn about what the home provides for former members of the DF. The idea for the home, which is run by ONE, came about during the bad winter of 1988/1989, when a number of desti- tute ex-servicemen were found dead on the streets of Dublin, along with many other homeless people. As a result of this, ten members of ONE raised money (some by mortgaging their own homes!) to purchase a 20-bedroom house in Queen Street, Dublin, for ex-servicemen and women who needed accommodation. After a number of years of successful operation, ONE was approached by developers who wanted to redevelop the area. A deal was struck that saw the old building demolished and the home moving to a custom-built, six-storey building on North King Street and Queen Street, where it was officially opened by President Mary McAleese in 2005. The home is managed by Sgt Maj (retd) Richard 'Dick' Dillon (5 Inf Bn) with assistant manager Sinead Black and nine other members of staff, most of whom are ex-military - 6 are part-time and 4 full-time. The home, which has a 40-bedroom occupancy, is open 24/7, 365 days a year and currently has 29 residents, with two bedrooms ready at all times in case they are required urgently. Residents are served three meals a day. A further eight bed- rooms are available to rent at reasonable rates – see advert on page 11. Brú na Bhfiann also houses the offices and conference rooms of ONE. The building is compliant with all building, health- and-safety and fire regulations, and is fully alarmed and secured. Residents stay in Brú na Bhfiann for many reasons, including marital breakdown, financial difficulties, or one of many other problems that can lead to someone finding themselves in need of a home. Funding for Brú na Bhfiann comes from a number of sources. The primary funding comes through an annual grant of €180,000 from the Homeless Section of Dublin City Council, with whom the home works very closely, while residents pay between €130-150 weekly, depending on their income, and occasional monies come in from the overnight accommodation rooms. The remainder comes from donations. In addition to an annual audit, Dublin City Council also carries out a quarterly audit before releasing funding for the next three months. In some cases, former members of the DF who require assistance from Brú na Bhfiann may be elderly or suffering with a long-term, or even terminal, illness. In such challenging situations the staff work well with government departments and agencies such as the Dept of Social Welfare, the HSE, etc. To this end, Brú na Bhfiann has service-level agreements with a number of organisations, including the HSE, the Central Mental Hospital, and other local health services. Continuing to speak about the challenges faced by some former servicemen and women, Dick said: "Our residents don't have the finances to stay in private accommodation, and it's not feasible for people on social welfare to pay for private ac-

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