For many years, my life was shaped by addiction, homelessness, and hardship. I spent 15 years moving between the streets, prison, mental health institutions and the hostels of Limerick. Prison became my second home, and the hostels were often the only safe places I had to turn to.
Without these services, especially NOVAS, Coolmine, Ana Liffey, and Bedford Row’s support to me and to my family, I know I would not be alive today. Those years were filled with pain, shame, and a deep sense of being judged and written off by society. I felt invisible, unwanted, and hopeless.
But even in the darkest times, walking the streets of Limerick alone and pregnant, I realised I had enough. These services were there, and there were people who showed me kindness and believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. Their support gave me the chance to survive long enough to start again. In 2017, I faced a crossroads. I left TEP, pregnant with my third child, and went to Beaumont Hospital before entering treatment in Coolmine. For 15 months, I stayed in residential treatment, followed by a year in aftercare. That was where the real rebuilding began. Recovery is not easy, but it gave me tools, structure, and a new way of looking at myself. After treatment, I became a Client Representative in Coolmine for nearly two years. This role gave me confidence and purpose, I was no longer just a service user, but someone who could guide and support others walking the same path as me.
In 2021, I went to TUS, gained experience with Ana Liffey, where I learned the value of harm reduction and meeting people where they are at. Later, I became a locum worker, then worked with St Augustine’s School, while also being a locum support worker in NOVAS, where I still work today.
Education has also been central to my journey. I started with Level 5 and 6 qualifications at CCL College, and I am now in my fourth year of a Level 8 degree in Addiction and Community Development. I even had the privilege of representing Ireland in the Netherlands as part of a European project researching sex tourism. These opportunities have helped me grow, not just academically, but personally, proving to myself and to others that recovery opens doors we never thought possible.
But above all else, the heart of my story is my family. I am a proud mother of four children, and today, they have their mother back. My family, especially my aunt Bernie my mam, my dad, and my nana, have been my biggest supporters. My mam has always been my number one fan, my dad has given me quiet strength, and my nana’s love has been a constant reminder of who I really am. Their belief in me, along with the love of my children, gave me the strength to keep going when I doubted myself.
Recovery has taught me powerful lessons: to do the right thing even when no one is watching; to never forget where I came from; and to recognise that change is always possible if you change the way you look at things. I’ve learned how vital case management is for a person’s overall wellbeing, and how services working together can transform lives. My journey is living proof that people can and do change.
Looking back now, I see how far I’ve come from the streets, prison cells and hostels to private accommodation, education, and meaningful work. My life is no longer defined by addiction, but by the choices I make, the people I support, and the family I get to love and be present for. My message is simple: change is possible.
Hope is real, and people can change.
