CEO of charity is spending 24 hours on Carlow streets to highlight homelessness crisis
CEO of Good Shepherd Centre Noel Sherry is marking World Homeless Day with 24-Hour Sleep-Out in Carlow. He's pictured here on Burrin Street, where he'll be staying until midnight Friday.
THE CEO of the Good Shepherd Centre Kilkenny is spending 24 hours sleeping rough on the streets of Carlow to mark World Homeless Day and draw attention to Ireland’s escalating homelessness crisis.
Noel Sherry began his Sleep-Out at midnight last night on Burrin St and will remain on the streets until midnight tonight as part of the “Sleeping Out, Speaking Out – for the Homeless” initiative, a collaboration between the Good Shepherd Centre and Carlow County Development Partnership (CCDP).
Speaking this morning from his Sleep-Out location, Mr Sherry said: “It’s uncomfortable, and it’s a reminder of what too many people are living through every night. We need real urgency and joined-up solutions to ensure that nobody is left without a safe place to sleep.” The Good Shepherd Centre took to social media to explain the purpose of the demonstration, stating: “At midnight, our CEO Noel Sherry will be on the streets of Carlow - not for show, but in solidarity. One night. One sleeping bag. One message: we must do better.”
The initiative aims to raise awareness of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness while calling for concrete action from the Housing Agency. The organisation is urging the agency to coordinate three key actions with local authorities: acquire homes for people experiencing homelessness, utilise the Repair & Lease Scheme to convert vacant buildings into safe housing, and establish a dedicated technical department to support housing projects for small and medium housing bodies.
“This isn’t abstract. It’s about turning dereliction into dignity. About taking practical steps to create real homes - not just emergency beds,” Mr Sherry said.
