'I found myself sleeping in my car' - Kilkenny resident on overcoming hard times

The Good Shepherd Centre in Kilkenny remains a staple of city life as its response to the ongoing homelessness crisis continues to grow in importance and the number of people seeking housing help rises locally.

The registered charity, located on Church Lane in Kilkenny City, offers support to people across society experiencing or on the verge of homelessness, with no background or creed immune.

Since its inception, the centre has catered to people struggling with addiction, mental health issues, people with disabilities, the elderly, low-income families and people exiting state care, hospital, or prison. However, despite everyone carrying their own individual worries and concerns, the sterotypical view of who may or may not become homeless is far from the whole truth.

READ NEXT: Drastic action set to be taken against the 'horrible abuse' of Kilkenny horses

Thomas McNamara, a social worker originally from Dublin, was in a seemingly comfortable position eight years ago, but life took a devastating turn.

"I had my own business in Kilkenny and I lost my business and my relationship at the time and I found myself sleeping in my car for two or three nights and then I was directed towards the Good Shepherd.

"That had a huge impact on me in that moment, standing on the doorstep, waiting to press the doorbell with a sense of hopelessness, but lucky for me I came in," he said.

The catastrophic period was damaging in a number of ways, as the loss of a home and job dealt a major dent to Thomas’ pride.

"I went from being what most people class as successful, having my own business, young kids and a happy life but things changed drastically and I entered into a supposed arena in homelessness that I had never seen before.

"When I came in I realised there was so many people here just like me," a realisation he feels much of society has failed to discover.

"One of the things I dislike is the image of homeless people as the old man and the dog in the doorway."

Thomas, who had no previous experiences of mental health issues, found himself trapped due to the hand life had dealt, but claims calling to the Good Shepherd was his first positive step in turning his life around.

"I was lucky at the time I was in the Good Shepherd, I had a really good key worker, who got me counselling in Teac Tom which put me in a position to rebuild my life. Luckily enough, when I left after about a year I got a job in a supermarket outside Kilkenny, went to college, got an honours degree in social care and just last week I got my keys to my home for life."

The social care worker now looks forward to an 'optimistic', 'stable' future where he can assist in combating the homeless crisis.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE

Noel Sherry, General Manager of the Good Shepherd Centre and Thomas McNamara, Social Care Worker - Picture: Vicky Comerford