St Vincent dePaul branch in Offaly celebrates 50th anniversary

TWO founding members of Ferbane/Cloghan St Vincent dePaul, Sr Benedict and Breda Connolly, were presented with flowers at a recent function to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the branch in Ferbane.

Joining them were two more long serving members Paddy Boland and Teresa Breslin who came onto the committee in 1980. All four are still very much involved, attending meetings and helping out where they can.

Sr Benedict remembers the then Parish Priest of Ferbane Canon McGowan calling a meeting on January 31st 1972. “He was calling around to houses, especially coming up to Christmas, and that gave him the knowledge of who was really in need,” she said.

That first meeting was held in St Joseph’s Convent where it was agreed to set up a branch in the area. “I went to that first meeting and I’m there ever since,” she smiled. Sr Benedict remembers serving as secretary and as president over the years. “We all served at some stage or other and just got on with it,” she said.
Having arrived in Ferbane from Kildare in 1958, Sr Benedict has spent most of her religious life in the town. Remembering how things have changed, Sr Benedict knows a lot of people in the area as she mentioned how people would call to the convent, especially at Christmas, looking for help with clothes and such but mostly with food. “We couldn’t act alone, no one could, and still can’t, everything has to be discussed at a meeting,” she stated.

Sr Benedict mentioned that there was a lot more poverty back then rather than now. “Well now there’s the Social Welfare you see and that’s a help but there are some people still in need but they don’t want to have to ask for help for whatever reason. It’s a very hard thing to have to ask for help,” she said. She went on to say that people were very generous at making donations and they still are.
86 year old retired school teacher Breda Connolly was also present at that meeting back in 1972. She had a great advantage as she was born and raised in Ferbane so she knew everyone and from teaching in the local school, she knew the families. Witnessing big changes through the years in the society, Breda said that back then the members of the group called to the houses.

“We knew them very well and were friends with them, now instead of going with big bags of stuff at Christmas like chickens, ducks or whatever to the houses, we get a voucher for people and send it on and it’s not half as nice. It’s less trouble for us if you like, but we don’t know them anymore,” said Breda.

Paddy Boland served as Treasurer for a long number of years, and remembers that they had a very active group of people involved. “There were about nine of us and Eddie Mitchell, who was the local Garda, was President then. The priest in Ballinahown would put out a basket for food and people were very generous, especially at Christmas time,” he said. Paddy who was a rates collector could see at first hand who was in real need and who desperately needed help to survive.

Cavan native Raymond Brady is the current President of the Ferbane/Cloghan conference. He joined five years ago having moved to the town almost twenty years ago on his marriage to Clare Lowry. Raymond’s involvement came about because both his father and sister are involved back in Cavan.

“It’s an honour I have to say to work with such warm and welcoming people here in Ferbane,” he said. Speaking about how they go about helping, he explained “we try to be discreet helping people, but we don’t need publicity, we just need to be sure that whoever needs help, gets it so we can protect their pride and their dignity and we make sure that they are looked after well,” he said.

Continuing he said “there’s nearly 200 years experience between the four people we honour here tonight. They have very heart-warming stories and if I get as much reward from it as they have, I’ll stay in it forever,” said Raymond. “It’s a very rewarding job and time doesn’t come into it,” he said.
The group cover Ferbane, Cloghan, Pullough, Ballinahown, Boher, Belmont, Shannonbridge and Shannon Harbour.
“Some people still use the old system ‘member approach’ and that’s perfect,” he said. “Vouchers give people the freedom to get the food that they like, pay whatever bills need to be paid, and then recently we have the energy crisis and that affects a lot of people, not just the socially deprived, but also working people that need help too and there’s no shame in asking, everyone needs a little bit of help now and again,” he said.
Raymond spoke of the investment in education that the conference provides. “Education is the way forward and St Vincent DePaul encourage that especially getting into third level, and we have helped several students in the last few years, so if they contact us we can give them super support, we will give help,” he said.
The group meet every month maximum, and sometimes every two weeks when things are busy.
He thanks Fr Fitzmaurice for the use of his house where the group have their meetings down through the years and which he said “is a real hub for us”.
Raymond also wished to remind people of the specific phone line that the group have, which is (087) 927 2877, or people can approach a member personally if they need help or they can contact the Parochial House.