St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen ten years on: still serving those who need it most

IN A DISCREET corner of Carlow town with a pleasant view of the River Barrow sits a place that has become vital for hundreds of local people. St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen, approaching its tenth anniversary this May, serves between 90 and 130 hot meals every day to those who might otherwise go without.

Walking into St Clare’s on a weekday afternoon, you’re struck not by the institutional atmosphere you might expect, but by the warmth. Wooden tables and chairs donated by Rachel Doyle of the Arboretum, among others, fill a bright, airy space. Volunteers move between tables, chatting with diners. The atmosphere is more reminiscent of a small café than a charity service.

“It’s about so much more than a meal,” says Nora Meaney, who handles PR and food parcels for the kitchen. “It’s offering somebody a friendly space. Some people that come here might not speak to anybody else for the rest of the day.” 

St Clare’s began almost 12 years ago as a response to needs identified in the community. Graiguecullen/Killeshin parish priest Fr John Dunphy recalls how the seed was planted: “At a pastoral council meeting in our parish, some teachers were saying there were kids coming to school hungry – they were often giving them their own lunch. More and more people would be coming to my door as well; the new poor, we used to call them.” 

Fr Dunphy, along with board member Isobel Brooker and now minister Jennifer Murnane, visited Brother Kevin at the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin for inspiration. Initially, they started by distributing food parcels, reaching about 180 families. But they soon realised this approach had limitations.

“We thought it was degrading for people to come and collect them,” explains Fr Dunphy. So they organised volunteer drivers to deliver the parcels instead. But their main aim remained clear: “to have a place where they can come and have a meal ... and hospitality.” 

The current premises was just a shell when Bobby Quinn, who owned the building, offered it as a potential location. What happened next shows the generosity of Carlow people. The team sent out a call through local media for help from tradespeople.

“We appealed for electricians, plasterers, blocklayers, painters, you name it,” recalls Fr Dunphy. “People were fabulous.” 

Although equipment still cost around €130,000, the volunteer labour made the project possible. Leo and Margaret Connolly came on board as ‘guardian angels’ who co-ordinated much of the work. The kitchen opened on 13 May 2015, initially for two days a week, but demand quickly pushed that to five days, which remains the schedule today.

Michelle Maddock Conaghan, the kitchen’s manager, has observed significant changes in who uses the service, particularly since the pandemic.

“There is a bigger cross-section of people now than there would’ve been pre-Covid,” she explains. “Whereas previously it would’ve been typically male, typically middle-aged and older, and typically people living alone. Now, we’re seeing a lot of people in vulnerable situations who are struggling to pay their rent and make ends meet.” 

It’s the ‘heat or eat’ dilemma that many people face: keeping the heating on might mean coming to St Clare’s for food.

Fr Dunphy notes that they see parents at the beginning of the school year who use their services to save money for their children’s needs. This reflects a crucial aspect of St Clare’s ethos: not judging those who come through their doors.

Brother Kevin of the Capuchin Day Centre shared a formative story with Fr Dunphy that shaped this approach. A woman arrived in a Mercedes with two children and joined the queue. When asked why she was there, she explained that her husband had kicked her out and the car was now their home. “That’s it. Never again will I judge people,” Brother Kevin decided – a principle that St Clare’s has adopted.

As Nora Meaney puts it: “A nice car in the driveway doesn’t guarantee there’s not hungry children in the house.” 

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about St Clare’s is that it operates entirely on donations, without government funding. The kitchen employs just three paid staff – the manager, a chef and an assistant manager – supplemented by nine people on community employment and Tús schemes. Beyond that, between 35 and 50 volunteers contribute each week.

“Carlow people are such generous individuals,” Fr Dunphy emphasises. “Carlow businesses have been amazing. Schools – we have to highlight the schools – every school in this whole area has run fundraisers, collected food for us.” 

This generosity manifests in countless ways. Isobel Brooker mentions a small business owner who recently brought in 300 Easter eggs, ensuring that everyone at the kitchen and all food parcel recipients received one. Another supporter living in Germany sends monthly donations, plus sweets for the volunteers.

Working with Carlow Lions Club and St Vincent de Paul, St Clare’s distributed 550 Christmas hampers last year. It also served a special Christmas dinner on the last day before Christmas Eve.

Despite this remarkable community support, St Clare’s has faced financial challenges. Last year, it was “down to about six weeks” of operational funds before a local media-led appeal campaign rallied the community’s support.

While it’s currently stable, it’s “not flush”, as Nora puts it. “It’s hugely important that continuous donations come in on an ongoing basis. If the donations stopped, the kitchen closes and between 90 and 130 people would be without a hot meal.” 

The scale of need has grown dramatically. In 2019, St Clare’s served approximately 18,500 meals. Last year, that number surged to 29,000. Meanwhile, Nora reminds us, utility bills have roughly doubled and grocery prices have increased substantially.

“Not only has it been more difficult for our clients to make ends meet, but it’s also been more difficult for us to make ends meet because things have got so much more expensive,” explains Michelle.

For those interested in helping, volunteering options are flexible. There are three main roles: dining room, kitchen, and washing up – with only kitchen work requiring previous experience.

“The commitment is based on your own circumstances,” explains Michelle. Some volunteers come once a month, others more frequently. All receive orientation and sign confidentiality agreements, reinforcing the kitchen’s ‘non-judgment policy’.

There’s camaraderie among volunteers, who gather for an annual appreciation night, where the board serves them for a change. For those interested in volunteering, Angela is the point of contact.

As St Clare’s prepares to mark its tenth anniversary with “huge celebrations”, there are hopes for future expansion. While not the focus of current anniversary plans, St Clare’s has another premises where it envisions potentially offering other services that would help those in need.

The vision remains consistent: recognising that when you’re struggling financially “everything is money ... you’re constantly sacrificing one thing for another”, as Michelle puts it. St Clare’s aims to provide not just food but dignity and community.

In a county with no comparable service (the nearest similar operation is in Dublin), St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen has become an essential thread in Carlow’s social fabric. It stands as testament to what a community can achieve when it recognises a need and comes together to address it – no judgement attached.

For donation information or to volunteer, contact St Clare’s Hospitality Kitchen directly or make a donation on .www.idonate.ie/cause/StClaresHospitalityKitchen.