Saturday, December 26, 2015

Celebrity couple help Tiglin Outreach

When Aubrey McCarthy, CEO Tiglin Rehabilitation Services, received a phone call last week, saying celebrity singer Ronan Keating and his wife Storm would like to join Tiglin’s Outreach Services, he thought it might a ‘courtesy five minutes’, writes Rose Barrett O'Donoghue.

“I was amazed but he actually rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in," Aubrey said afterwards. "Along with his wife Storm, he led the volunteers and homeless in an enthusiastic Carol sing-song; it was a fantastic atmosphere and then the couple gave out Christmas presents to those gathered with everyone joining in and singing along with ‘Fairytale of New York’. Every homeless person got a bag of gifts including hats, scarf, jocks, gloves, toiletries and some food.”

The No Bucks Café is a Tiglin outreach service that goes out each weeknight to Dublin City and surrounding areas, serving warm drinks, snacks and a sympathetic ear.

Tiglin offers people with no hope, no purpose and no self-worth a life-line; people locked in the cycle of addiction. Lots of local people support their work, amongst them, Gerry Stevens, Brannockstown; Oonagh Kavanagh, Ballymore Eustace who recently raised funding through her Aloe Vera sales; Sally Anne Pallister of Boleybeg; the Colivets of Swordlestown, the McCarthys at the Elms, Punchestown, Gillian McCutcheon, Naas and many others from the Naas area.

"It was heartening that such a high profile celebrity couple spread a little Christianity on Christmas Eve,” Aubrey said.