St. Vincent de Paul Society Athy

The local conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is the oldest voluntary organisation in Athy. While I don’t have a record of when the Athy conference was founded, I have come across references to it in local newspapers as long ago as 110 years ago. At the start of the last century adults of working age in Athy had limited opportunities for full time or even part time employment. The brickyards, of which there were many in this area, provided mostly summertime work for both men and women. The farmers in this area also provided seasonal employment for agricultural labourers, but there were no jobs available for the majority of the adult males of the town. Families living in the privately rented houses which lined the alleyways of Athy were extremely poor. The houses they occupied were generally two roomed cottages which the Urban District Council of a generation later would demolish under the Slum Clearance Programmes of the 1930s. The then St. Vincent de Paul Society members in Athy provided comfort and financial assistance for the many needy families in the town as the charitable organisation continues to do so to this day. An entry in the minute book of the local Urban District Council for 21st February 1933 can give us some understanding and appreciation of the difficulties facing many Athy families at that time. The minute book reads: ‘A special meeting of Athy Urban District Council was held to meet a deputation from the local St. Vincent de Paul Society to discuss the stress prevailing among the poor of Athy caused by the bad weather. The Vincent de Paul Society was represented by T.J. Brennan, Dan Carbery and Fintan Brennan. It was agreed to set up a Distress Committee consisting of the members of the Urban District Council and representatives of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The town clerk and Fintan Brennan were appointed secretaries of the committee.’ Last week the local Lions Club held its annual food appeal to help the St. Vincent de Paul Society here in Athy and the generous response of so many was acknowledged by the Lions Club President Brian Dooley. The family needs which the St. Vincent de Paul Society seek to meet can at times seem overwhelming, but the continuous generosity of the local people is of great help to the society. Many thought that the harsh times of the past had gone, but the Ukrainian war and the difficulties created by inflation have created enormous problems for many families within our own community. Families, many of whom never expected to have to call on St. Vincent de Paul Society for help, are now experiencing great financial difficulties. For more than 177 years local conferences of the St. Vincent de Paul Society throughout Ireland have been helping the less fortunate in Irish society. Sad to say their services are needed even more today than ever before. Last year St. Vincent de Paul Societies throughout Ireland gave assistance amounting to almost one hundred million euro to families in need. The escalating cost of rent, food, electricity, and fuel is affecting us all but having a devasting effect on families surviving on inadequate pensions or income. The Mission Statement of the Society of the St. Vincent de Paul shows that it is a Christian voluntary organisation, working with people experiencing poverty and disadvantage. Inspired by their principal founder Frederic Ozanam and their patron St. Vincent de Paul, the Society members seek to respond to calls for help in a non-judgemental and dignified manner. No work of charity is alien to the Society members, but they cannot continue their good work without the contribution of those within our community who are in the position to do so. The Society members are always open to applications from persons in need and they are committed to respecting the dignity of those they assist and fostering self-respect. The Society is also committed to identifying the root causes of poverty and social exclusion and in solidarity with people experiencing poverty and disadvantage, to advocate and work for the changes required to create a more just and caring society. The Lions Club Food Appeal in aid of St. Vincent de Paul has already passed and the collection at church services on Sunday will have taken place before this article appears. However, there is still an opportunity for anybody who was not in a position to contribute to the Lions Club collection or to the church collections to make donations at the St. Vincent de Paul shop in William Street, Athy or to send donations directly to the St. Vincent de Paul headquarters in Dublin, which contributions I understand will be redirected to the local conference here in Athy. Christmas is a terrible time to be poor. With your help the Athy conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society can reach out to the local parents and children in need and help them share in the enjoyment of the Christmas season.