Latest news with #StFrancisHospice
Irish Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Brendan Gleeson backs major fundraising drive for 'game-changer' hospice
Brendan Gleeson has backed a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at St Francis Hospice in Dublin's Raheny, where both his parents received care. The Hollywood star took on his latest role – dressing in a builder's hard hat – to support the €20million Buy a Brick campaign. "I know how much of a game changer this new facility will be for the entire community of North Dublin," said Gleeson, 70. "Brick by brick, we can make this happen." The new unit will enable staff to care for an extra 3,000 patients over the next 25 years – and the fundraiser invites people to contribute to the build by buying a brick for €25, €100, or €250 and leaving their name or message on a Virtual Community Support Wall. As he prepares to make his West End debut and return to theatre for the first time in a decade, Gleeson urged everyone to embrace the project. "I know first-hand how difficult end-of-life care can be for families. "Hospice care is magical in terms of the respect, dignity and compassion it offers to people receiving palliative care. This new unit will provide the privacy, comfort, and highest quality facilities that people need and deserve. "I'm asking people to support it by visiting or contact the Fundraising Department at 01-8327535." Construction at the site is due to begin next year and will also include an underground carpark and clinical support facilities, with a pedestrian bridge linking it to the existing building. Last year, St Francis Hospice cared for 2,313 patients at its two facilities in Blanchardstown and Raheny - almost double that of a decade earlier. According to CSO census figures, the North Dublin catchment area served by the hospice is consistently one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. "The current in-patient unit can care for around 6,750 patients over the next 25 years but with the planned expansion to 24 single rooms, this capacity will rise to 9,600 patients," said Fintan Fagan, CEO of St Francis Hospice. "That means it will serve at least 2,850 additional individuals than the current in-patient unit would allow. In all, the new unit will positively impact the lives of about 100,000 patients and their loved ones over the next 25 years. "As well as increasing the number of patients we can care for, it will provide more comfort and privacy for them and their families at a precious time in their lives. "We are under no illusion that it is a big fundraising target. St Francis Hospice has been an integral part of the North Dublin community since 1989. It was founded and continues to grow thanks to the amazing fundraising efforts of the community. "We are relying on the continued goodwill and support of individuals, companies and foundations to make this new facility a reality so that we can provide specialist palliative care for all who need it in our growing community." The Buy a Brick campaign will run throughout the construction phase and until the new in-patient unit is completely paid for. To participate, visit or contact the Fundraising Department at 01-8327535.
Irish Times
25-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Despair among young people ‘really, really scary', Brendan Gleeson says at hospice fundraiser
Growing distrust and demoralisation, 'tantamount to despair', particularly among young people, is becoming 'really, really scary', actor Brendan Gleeson has said. Speaking on Wednesday in support of a fundraising drive for hospice services on Dublin's northside, Gleeson urged media organisations to give more space to similar, positive stories. 'The demoralisation of people is to me really, really scary now. It is getting to a place where everywhere you look the idea of there being a better side to people is being undermined ... I think it is really important to record there are good things happening in the world. 'It is not right that people, especially young people, are drawn into what is tantamount to despair,' he said. READ MORE Referring to his experiences with St Francis hospice in Raheny, where his mother Pat died in 2007 and father Francis passed away in 2010, he said there was 'something about this place' that at times of great pain, fear and confusion 'made the world make sense'. The hospice's ethos, of prioritising 'minding the person' and their family, was 'so affecting'. Rather than feeling debilitated by his grief, the hospice helped him feel 'invigorated [by] the nature of life as a continuum [and] death a natural thing'. His family experienced 'kindness, goodness and embrace ... I do feel a bit evangelical about [the hospice] when you see how it brings the best out in people'. Wednesday's event marked the start of St Francis hospice's 'buy a brick' campaign, where people and businesses are invited to purchase virtual bricks for €25, €100 or €250, and leave messages on a virtual wall. The charity aims to raise €20 million to build a new facility in Raheny on land gifted to it, adjacent to the current service. The new building will have 24 private rooms, replacing the in-patient hospice which includes shared rooms. The HSE is co-funding the project which the charity hopes to open by the end of 2027. Fintan Fagan, chief executive of St Francis hospice, which also provides palliative care at its Blanchardstown facility, said 'modern care' required that patients would have 'privacy and dignity' along with space for family if they wished to stay overnight. 'The current in-patient unit can care for around 6,750 patients over the next 25 years but with the planned expansion to 24 single rooms, this capacity will rise to 9,600 patients. 'That means it will serve at least 2,850 additional individuals than the current in-patient unit would allow. In all, the new in-patient unit will positively impact the lives of about 100,000 patients and their loved ones over the next 25 years.' Describing the campaign as 'literally brick-by-brick', Gleeson said it protected the hospice's communal, voluntary ethos. 'It is ours. As long as this is coming from the community it means that it starts on a basis of generosity of the public and of people who want to get involved.' He is preparing to play the lead role of Jack in Conor McPherson's play The Weir in Dublin and London from August. He was drawn to McPherson's 'beautiful writing' and an ending where 'people choose the better part of themselves', he says. 'I reserve the right to see goodness in people and to insist it is a really important aspect of our humanity that we are not catering to.' Though surrounded by 'complex, complex difficulties' we 'are capable of solving them', he says. 'But only if we come back to start believing in each other and ourselves, and find some way to re-establish aspects of trust that are in terrible danger of being completely destroyed. 'The hospice is the embodiment of that kindness, community and generosity we need.'
BreakingNews.ie
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Leo Varadkar: Marriage equality result was best day of my political life
Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the marriage equality referendum results day was the best day in his political life. On May 22nd, 2015, the Irish electorate voted by 62 per cent in favour of same-sex marriage, on a high turnout of 61 per cent. All constituencies voted Yes except Roscommon-South Leitrim, which rejected the proposed amendment by a narrow margin. Advertisement "It was just one of those days where everything came together," Mr Varadkar told Newstalk radio on the 10th anniversary of the event. "I started that day performing the official opening of St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown, which I'd been able to get funding for as health minister, so I just kind of saw two projects on the one day that were totally different and totally unconnected coming to fruition so it's those kind of days that make it all worthwhile." Mr Varadkar said it had been overwhelming at the referendum count centre. He had anticipated the results would be similar to the divorce referendum in 1994 – that the Yes vote would be stronger in urban areas with a big No vote in rural areas – but that did not happen. Leo Varadkar warned there were going to be setbacks in Ireland and around the world. Photo: Paul Faith/AFP via Getty As the results came in from around the country he said it became obvious that "it was a country that was embracing the idea of equality before the law for everyone, equal rights, freedom, equality of opportunity, and was doing it without a huge rural-urban divide or a class divide." Advertisement Mr Varakdar said the day was part "a wave of progress and liberty and freedom" that Ireland was part of. World Thai same-sex couples to tie knot in 2025 as marri... Read More The former Fine Gael leader, who resigned as taoiseach last year, acknowledged that when he started in politics he had not anticipated how much things would change in Ireland in the space of 10 years. He also admitted that his decision to "come out" had not caused him great angst, but it did cross his mind that it might have an impact on his future career. However, Mr Varadkar warned there were going to be setbacks in Ireland and around the world. "I always say that the arc of history bends towards progress, but it's not a straight line. There are always going to be backlashes. And they're going to be setbacks and sometimes they're gonna be severe. "It's one step forward, two steps back. That's kind of where we are at the moment."
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Varadkar: marriage-equality vote result and hospice opening made my best day in politics
Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said May 23rd, 2015, was the best day in his political life due to the result of the marriage equality referendum and because he performed the official opening of St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown. 'It was just one of those days where everything came together. I started that day performing the official opening of St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown which I'd been able to get funding for as health minister so I just kind of saw two projects on the one day that were totally different and totally unconnected coming to fruition so it's those kind of days that make it all worthwhile,' he told Newstalk Breakfast. Mr Varadkar added it had been overwhelming at the referendum count centre. He had anticipated the results would be similar to the divorce referendum in 1994 in that the Yes vote would be stronger in urban areas with a big No vote in rural areas, but that did not happen. As the results came in from around the country it became obvious that 'it was a country that was embracing the idea of equality before the law for everyone, equal rights, freedom, equality of opportunity, and was doing it without a huge rural-urban divide or a class divide – you know all those things that we see so much of now in politics, that day we didn't and that was great.' READ MORE Mr Varadkar said the result 'spurred us on to do other things like for example the Gender Recognition Act later and things like repealing the 8th [amendment on abortion] in 2018 so you know it wasn't just a one-day event, it was actually part, I think, of a wave of progress and liberty and freedom that Ireland was part of'. Mr Varadkar acknowledged that when he started in politics he had not anticipated how much things would change in Ireland in the space of 10 years. He also admitted his decision to 'come out' had not caused him great angst but added it did cross his mind that it might have an impact on his future career. However, Mr Varadkar warned there were going to be setbacks in Ireland and around the world. 'I always say that the arc of history bends towards progress, but it's not a straight line. There are always going to be backlashes. And they're going to be setbacks and sometimes they're gonna be severe. 'It's one step forward, two steps back. That's kind of where we are at the moment.'
