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Cuan Mhuire is marking 60 years since its founding, with the Newry centre playing a central role in the organisation's legacy of addiction treatment and rehabilitation.
Camlough man Pat McGinn, writing on behalf of Friends of Cuan Mhuire, has paid tribute to the vision of Sr Consilio Fitzgerald, whose work has transformed thousands of lives in Ireland and beyond. An event was held in Athy, Kildare on Saturday to mark the occasion.
Mhuire Ireland at Saturdays anniversary celebrations in Athy
Sr Consilio opened the first Cuan Mhuire centre in Athy in 1966, at a time when addiction was poorly understood and those affected often found themselves isolated. Her belief that every person deserved dignity, respect and a second chance drove the establishment of further centres, including the Newry facility, which opened on 29 June 1984.
The opening of the Newry centre was a significant moment for the city and for the north of Ireland, bringing addiction treatment and rehabilitation services to people and families who previously had limited access to such support.
The purpose-built centre on the Old Dublin Road, which opened in 2012, now has a 92-bed capacity with dedicated facilities for both men and women. Since its doors first opened 42 years ago, many thousands of people from every county in Northern Ireland have used its treatment and rehabilitation services.
Pat McGinn, who has been a member of the Cuan Mhuire Family for over thirty years, reflects on what that work has meant in practice. "Time and again, I hear stories of gratitude from former residents and their families. Their experiences remind us that recovery is not simply about overcoming addiction; it is about restoring self-worth, rebuilding relationships and rediscovering hope."
He adds that the philosophy at the heart of the organisation remains unchanged. "Sr Consilio always believed in the goodness that exists within every person. She saw beyond addiction and focused instead on the individual and their potential for healing and change."
As the 60th anniversary is marked, McGinn acknowledges staff, volunteers and supporters who have sustained the organisation's work over six decades, as well as those who sought help and found a new beginning through it.
"For sixty years, Cuan Mhuire has been a place of welcome, compassion and hope. Its impact reaches far beyond its centres and into homes, families and communities throughout Ireland," he writes.
On behalf of Friends of Cuan Mhuire, McGinn extends congratulations to all associated with the organisation. "We give thanks for the lives that have been transformed, for the families that have been reunited and for the enduring vision of Sr Consilio Fitzgerald, whose legacy continues to change lives everyday."
