THE President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Higgins, were given a warm welcome by staff and residents of Dublin’s Back Lane Hostel when they arrived to mark a centenary event last week.
The hostel has been celebrating 100 years of continuous service to homeless men since it opened its doors on May 9, 1915.
Since then thousands of men have passed through the doors of the hostel, located near the Christchurch Cathedral that has been providing accommodation services to homeless men 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the past 100 years.
Back Lane currently provides accommodation and support services for 60 homeless men each night and supports over 400 men per year. The hostel is currently managed by Depaul, in partnership with the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP).
Speaking at the centenary celebration, Kerry Anthony, CEO of Depaul, said: “In the last 13 years since Depaul took over management of Back Lane Hostel, we have supported thousands of men with multiple and complex support needs who are experiencing homelessness.
“We have continually adapted our service provision in response to changing needs and in accordance with best practice.”
She added: “The requirement for services like Back Lane is more pronounced than ever.
“Over 3,000 adults used emergency accommodation in Dublin between April and June of this year which is the highest number since official counts began.
“The need to address access to housing options for people and housing with support when needed is imperative if we are going to see an end to long-term homelessness in Dublin and indeed in Ireland.”