SLEEPING FLAGS I was left homeless after leaving Defence Forces – but lucky strike totally changed my life

By Michael Doyle / Irish Sun

A former Defence Forces member has told how he was homeless after leaving the Air Corps but turned his life around and now works as a counsellor helping others who have fallen on hard times.

Tony Stafford turned to the charity Oglaigh Naisiunta na hEireann, which helps veterans, after his marriage collapsed.

He revealed he had nowhere to go, but taking a stroll through Smithfield, he came across the Bru na bhFiann, one of ONE’s homes for former servicemen.

Speaking ahead of ONE’s annual Sleeping Flags fundraiser, Tony said: “I went for a walk. I had nowhere to go. If I’d taken a walk the other way towards the quays, who knows what might have happened.

“But I saw the Irish tricolour and the sign on the door and I just walked in.

“I lived there for a year from that day. It has been amazing support to me and now I try to help others in similar situations.”

Tony, 63, originally came from a family of 13 from St Theresa’s Gardens in Dublin’s south inner city and left school when he was 16.

He served four tours of duty in the Lebanon and it was through the Forces that he completed a course in support work at University College Cork, before later qualifying as a counsellor after studying at Trinity and University College Dublin.

He retired from the Defence Forces after 23 years and secured a job in the HSE as an addiction counsellor.

“Leaving the Defence Forces can be a challenging experience and each person has their own story or personal situation. The Defence Forces teaches you everything you need to know to enter the Forces, but not what you need to know to leave it.“

Sleeping Flag fundraisers are taking place this Saturday in Dublin at the Defence Forces Open Day, Farmleigh Estate, at the Supervalu in Athlone and Crescent Shopping Centre in Limerick.

The charity will trial a new digital payment systems, focusing on QR codes and contactless payments, across all venues, while cash is still welcome.

To date, the charity has helped more than 1,000 veterans out of homelessness and provides 18,615 bed nights a year, between its four homes.

Cormac Kirwan, CEO of ONE, said: “There are so many veterans in Ireland that need our help and support and fundraising events like this make our work possible. This campaign aims to improve awareness and provide funding to support the needs of Irish veterans, through the provision of accommodation, mental health outreach and addiction counselling.”

Full article: www.thesun.ie/news/11096315/homeless-veteran-charity-oglaigh-naisiunta-heireann-sleeping-flags/

To donate text ‘FLAG’ To 50300, or visit https://platform.payzone.ie/10734/fundraising/campaign/650/

Texts cost €4 – ONE will receive a minimum of €3.60

Service Provider: LIKECHARITY – Helpline: 01 481 9311

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