Homeless woman across from AIB Eyre Square

pudgeydev

Does anyone know this woman or her story? I've noticed that she's there every night when I pass by (around 9pm) - how long has she been sleeping there? I thought there was somewhere in Galway for homeless people to spend the night. Sad stuff

Wompa1

pudgeydev wrote: »

Does anyone know this woman or her story? I've noticed that she's there every night when I pass by (around 9pm) - how long has she been sleeping there? I thought there was somewhere in Galway for homeless people to spend the night. Sad stuff

There are places (plural) for women to go from what I understand. There's one shelter for men, but multiple for women. I may be wrong on that but that's what I remember.

I think one of the gotchas with these shelters is that they will not allow you to stay if you are under the influence due to the possibility of you harming yourself or others in the hostel. Again, that one I just heard from somebody who claimed to know somebody who worked in one.

inisboffin

Wompa1 wrote: »

There are places (plural) for women to go from what I understand. There's one shelter for men, but multiple for women. I may be wrong on that but that's what I remember.

I think one of the gotchas with these shelters is that they will not allow you to stay if you are under the influence due to the possibility of you harming yourself or others in the hostel. Again, that one I just heard from somebody who claimed to know somebody who worked in one.

Actually there aren't always enough beds for women according to a care worker, although they rarely turn people away and make do with floor space and blankets.

Mrs OBumble

This woman has around for 2-3 months, and I'm sure I saw her here earlier in the summer too. I've never seen her behave in a way that makes me think she's under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Am pretty sure she's foreign, and have no idea if she has been in contact with the homeless support services. I'm guessing that they and/or the guards have ways of approaching people who start visibly sleeping on the streets, but not acquanited with them - or if they are effective for people with little or no English.

I really felt for her yesterday morning, when she must have got absolutely drenched.

Tugboats

She was having a pint in the quays last week. Shes hanging around with a young English homeless guy

snubbleste

If it were a homeless man, would you feel the same OP?

pudgeydev

snubbleste wrote: »

If it were a homeless man, would you feel the same OP?

No way hose, I love to see homeless men on the streets. Sometimes I think about it during "me time". :rolleyes:


I've asked about her cos I started working lates lately and pass by that spot on week nights. She has lots of bits and bobs with her too, looks unusual.

Thanks for the replies all!

Daisy78

snubbleste wrote: »

If it were a homeless man, would you feel the same OP?

What on earth has the persons gender got to do with?

swiftman

if it the same woman, there was a homeless woman about in her 60's, missing alot of teeth and looked abit like warty nora.
she was hanging around the front door pub last night at closing time, ended up seein an old college friend so was chattin outside for a bit with him..
she kept going up to people asking for money. i spotted them burger boxes left on barrier and she picked it up to see if anything was in it

cats.life

op why didnt you say hello to her, no point in starting threads asking about her , ,i would have gone to try and help her if she needed any thing,it wouldnt cost you anything to say hello,..bring a friend with you for suport.

ben.schlomo

swiftman wrote: »

if it the same woman, there was a homeless woman about in her 60's, missing alot of teeth and looked abit like warty nora.
she was hanging around the front door pub last night at closing time, ended up seein an old college friend so was chattin outside for a bit with him..
she kept going up to people asking for money. i spotted them burger boxes left on barrier and she picked it up to see if anything was in it

Shes about 4 and a half feet tall, keep seeing her around town carrying about 10 bags,rucksacks,holdalls etc etc, bags usually bigger than her too.

Redhairedguy

Keep in mind that these threads can usually descend into a 'I saw them in X place and they were doing Y' kinda thing, which we all know doesn't really go anywhere, not to mention are not allowed in general. So let's try to keep to the point re: this lady

<mod hat offski> Is there anyone that could be contacted about her well being? I haven't seen her, but is she in bad nick? (sounds more like I'm talking about a car than a person... )

pudgeydev

I don't talk to degenerates.

Joking, excuse the tolling..

I drive past there at night when I’m coming from work, she's there on the turn by AIB. When I see her she's hunched over, face covered except for her eyes. She has a couple of bags, one of them looks like a modernish rolly suitcase. She’s been there months now, anyone who lives out Salthill direction coming from town in the evenings will know her.

mattjack

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Keep in mind that these threads can usually descend into a 'I saw them in X place and they were doing Y' kinda thing, which we all know doesn't really go anywhere, not to mention are not allowed in general. So let's try to keep to the point re: this lady

<mod hat offski> Is there anyone that could be contacted about her well being? I haven't seen her, but is she in bad nick? (sounds more like I'm talking about a car than a person... )

I.m not from Galway , but it might be worth your while contacting one of the local services to see if they have an Outreach team in the city,possibly Focus/Simon.

I work in a homeless service elsewhere.

phoenix99

Has anyone contacted any of the homeless services and heard anything back from them about this lady? She is still there on a daily basis, currently huddled under a black bag as shelter from the wind and rain!!

inisboffin

phoenix99 wrote: »

Has anyone contacted any of the homeless services and heard anything back from them about this lady? She is still there on a daily basis, currently huddled under a black bag as shelter from the wind and rain!!

Have you?

I haven't seen her myself tbh.

biko

Maybe give her a paper with contact details for those shelters but tbh she probably knows about them already from others. Town is small.

thesandeman

I've never seen her face. She is always asleep sitting on the step with her head covered when I'm passing at three or four in the morning.
I reckon she picked that spot because it's across from the 24hr cab office so she knows she will be safe enough. The Guards etc. must know she is there as she is directly facing them as they turn down towards the Docks.

phoenix99

inisboffin wrote: »

Have you?

I haven't seen her myself tbh.

Yes, I have been in touch with a couple of the organisations in the city but haven't heard anything back as of yet, hence my question has anyone else been in touch and got a response?

inisboffin

phoenix99 wrote: »

Yes, I have been in touch with a couple of the organisations in the city but haven't heard anything back as of yet, hence my question has anyone else been in touch and got a response?

Good to hear. Who did you contact so people know?

Cheshire Cat

Was listening to Galway Bay FM yesterday morning in the car. Apparently numerous people have contacted Keith Finnegan about her. According to him the relevant organisations in the city are aware of her and are trying to help, but she is refusing to engage with them.

Hope she accepts some help as it gets colder!

pudgeydev

She was knitting the other day when I drove by; not something you expect to see from a homeless person. Hopefully she gets herself sorted before the rain comes down.

phoenix99

inisboffin wrote: »

Good to hear. Who did you contact so people know?

I have been in contact with the Simon Community and also Cope's Osterley Lodge who have both since got back to me.
As Cheshire Cat stated both have informed me that they have made contact with this lady and continue to do so but unfortunately to date she has refused their services.

Mrs OBumble

I'd imagine that Keith, the guards, Cope and Simon will have received dozens of calls each day, and all have a well rehearsed speech about her by now.

biko

phoenix99 wrote: »

I have been in contact with the Simon Community and also Cope's Osterley Lodge who have both since got back to me.
As Cheshire Cat stated both have informed me that they have made contact with this lady and continue to do so but unfortunately to date she has refused their services.

Then there isn't much we can do here really, it's a free country they tell me.

inisboffin

biko wrote: »

Then there isn't much we can do here really, it's a free country they tell me.

Yeah fair enough. At least people could to offer her a cuppa if anyone passes (when she's awake). My Dad used to pass a homeless guy in Dublin a lot. One day he asked the man if there was anything in particular he needed, and he said "have you a raincoat" Dad brought him in a poncho thing and he was delighted with it.

serfboard

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Was listening to Galway Bay FM yesterday morning in the car. Apparently numerous people have contacted Keith Finnegan about her. According to him the relevant organisations in the city are aware of her and are trying to help, but she is refusing to engage with them.

Keith said that she is from the South of England, that she is a "very private" person, and, as you say, the agencies are aware of her and have offered her help but she declined it.

Mrs OBumble

inisboffin wrote: »

Yeah fair enough. At least people could to offer her a cuppa if anyone passes (when she's awake). My Dad used to pass a homeless guy in Dublin a lot. One day he asked the man if there was anything in particular he needed, and he said "have you a raincoat" Dad brought him in a poncho thing and he was delighted with it.

However this is can be a double-edged sword: supporting her "in place" may reduce her incentive to engage with any of the support agencies, and thus be worse for her long term.

During the very cold winter a couple of years ago, some people I know were routinely giving money to some of the rough sleepers, blithely not realising that this actually increased likelihood that the individuals would be too intoxicated to get into the shelters the following evening.

And on a very selfish note: if you live in town and are seen to give something to one of the street-people, then the volume of requests you get from the others may go up dramatically. Beware!

Shakti

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

However this is can be a double-edged sword: supporting her "in place" may reduce her incentive to engage with any of the support agencies, and thus be worse for her long term.

During the very cold winter a couple of years ago, some people I know were routinely giving money to some of the rough sleepers, blithely not realising that this actually increased likelihood that the individuals would be too intoxicated to get into the shelters the following evening.

And on a very selfish note: if you live in town and are seen to give something to one of the street-people, then the volume of requests you get from the others may go up dramatically. Beware!

right wing conservative nonsense and insinuation

El_Dangeroso

Shakti wrote: »

right wing conservative nonsense and insinuation

Not at all! Quite a sensible post IMHO.

Shakti

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Not at all! Quite a sensible post IMHO.

So use the 'like' function, if you have nothing further to add,

zarquon

Shakti wrote: »

right wing conservative nonsense and insinuation

Completely disagree with you. As someone who has worked with the homeless communities in Galway in the past Mrs OB's post is quite accurate.

Do you believe cope and Simon are right wing conservative organisations. If so what are you doing to help the homeless in Galway?

Shakti

zarquon wrote: »

Do you believe cope and Simon are right wing conservative organisations.

Why would you think that?

El_Dangeroso

Shakti wrote: »

So use the 'like' function, if you have nothing further to add,

I did, my post was in response to your ludicrous assertion.

pleasant Co.

Don't have time now but will check this thread out later as it seems one or two posts could be in line for an infraction, just a heads up in case someone wants to rack up a few in a couple of heated posts

Shakti

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

I did, my post was in response to your ludicrous assertion.

hopefully mrs. O'B will feel suitably bolstered by your ganley-esque support to discuss it herself, or maybe not. Either way it feels somewhat rude to discuss it without her. Nevertheless you could make your own ludicrous right wing statement and I may comment on that, or not.

El_Dangeroso

Shakti wrote: »

hopefully mrs. O'B will feel suitably bolstered by your ganley-esque support to discuss it herself, or maybe not. Either way it feels somewhat rude to discuss it without her. Nevertheless you could make your own ludicrous right wing statement and I may comment on that, or not.

Sorry I'm completely baffled by your response. In what way is advising people to support charity right wing?

What in the hell is ganley-eque? I'm genuinely laughing at the over the top reaction.

Redhairedguy

This is ridiculous. Locked, pending further investigation by mods.