St Vincent de Paul's 12 holiday centres in Ireland are almost full this summer, catering for inner-city children, teenagers, families and older people, writes Carl O'Brien
FOR MOST of the year Margaret Kelly (80) is housebound, looking after her husband Seán (82) who needs full-time care after suffering a stroke several years ago.
But for at least one week a year, she and her husband get to leave the confines of their home in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, and head off on holidays.
This year, it's to the Vincent de Paul's holiday centre in Mornington, Co Meath, just a few miles from the scenic beaches at Bettystown.
"When we're at home we rarely see anyone," says Margaret, a former nurse. "I have to be at home all the time, washing and everything. Not many people call in. But this week in Mornington we get to see so many people, some old friends and some new ones. There's so many people to talk to and have a laugh with."
For many families on low incomes struggling to cope with rising food and fuel bills, holidays just aren't an option. However, the Society of St Vincent de Paul is trying to meet growing demand for people seeking to get away from it all, if only for a week or so.
At Mornington, the holiday centre has evolved from make-shift tents in the mid-1960s to a series of well-maintained and brightly decorated holiday homes. Residents have access to a games room with pool tables, croquet on the manicured lawns, and buses into Drogheda for shopping.
In total, the cost of a week's stay is about €190, although many with very limited means do not have to pay anything.
Pat Madden, the centre's part-time manager, says the benefits of a short break can make a huge difference to people whose day-to-day lives are often highly stressful.
"We cater here for older people, and many of them have very tough lives: they are looking after partners who may be disabled, or they are living on their own," he says. "It's about getting a break from all that and having a bit of respite."
In the evenings, the building is transformed into a céilí house as volunteer musicians arrive, and the thunderous noise of set dancing rings out across the centre.
Sometimes, though, it can take a while for things to warm up, says Madden.
"You might have people who have arrived on the Sunday don't know each other and they're a bit stand-offish. But it only takes a few days for them to thaw out. By Thursday, things really begin to take off," he says.
"And there's a group who know each other already. They're talking, chatting and laughing from the moment they arrive. There's a group from Dundalk, for example, and there's always a great atmosphere whenever they arrive."
The miserable weather has put a dampener on most of the summer this year, although trips to the slot machines in Bettystown and to the shopping centres of Drogheda and Navan mean there's always something to do.
This week Margaret and Seán Kelly have spent their time walking around the grounds and enjoying the evening entertainment.
"When the bands arrive and the music is going, there's a great atmosphere. People sing songs themselves. I don't, because I haven't a note in my head, but some are very good. And then there's the food — it's beautiful. It's like what you'd get in the best hotels," says Margaret.
The only downside, she says, is having to leave at the end of the week.
"I feel a bit downhearted when we leave. You know you're leaving friends behind who you won't see for another year. But we keep in contact through phone calls, letters and cards. Right now, I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of the week."