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Five residents and supporters of Cuan Mhuire are taking part in this weekend's Belfast Marathon to help raise funds for increasingly needed addiction services at the facility on the Old Dublin Road in Newry.
Pat McGinn kick started the 40th anniversary celebrations for Cuan Mhuire Newry by booking his running place for the Belfast Marathon and then he added a bucket collection at Camlough and a Spinathon with Craobh Rua Camlocha GAA club as part of their Health and Wellbeing Club Model – he has raised £2,125 on his Just Giving Page. Other runners are Martin McWilliams, Tandragee; Gareth Madden, Belfast; Matthew, Belfast and Derek McGinley, Antrim. Together they have raised over £5500, which could pay for 10 weeks of a 12-week programme for a new resident.
Addiction is sadly so common these days. A quote recently that is shocking is in some towns you can buy a bag of cocaine quicker than a bag of chips. Youngsters’ abilities to reach wider networks through social media has also not helped. What is good though is Addiction is being spoken about more by celebrities, sharing how they sought help and how it is a life-long disease that needs to be treated and maintained.
Cuan Mhuire is one of Ireland's leading charities or organisations which provides Addiction Treatment Services and Residential Rehabilitation. The Cuan Mhuire Programme strives to restore confidence, self-respect and a sense of responsibility for all participants.
In 2022 2,324 people were admitted to one of the five Cuan Mhuire Treatment Centres founded by Sr. Consilio in 1966. Since its opening Cuan Mhuire has treated approximately 100,000 people throughout Ireland. Cuan Mhuire (Sr Consilio’s) Newry had 420 admissions throughout 2022 and supported a further 3,200 aftercare attendees at its 3 sites: Newry, Belfast, and Omagh.
Cuan Mhuire provides an experience of home, family and belonging. It is wholly inclusive, embracing especially those who feel marginalised and distressed. Always attentive to providing the highest standards of excellence and seeking to help support them on their journey from addiction to hope.
Pat McGinn shared his story: “When I arrived in Cuan Mhuire as a resident, I remember saying I was neither wanted by man nor beast. I was unemployable. My family were sick, sore and tired of it. Since I left I went back to college, university, qualified as a teacher, I have written a book, I’ve been the Mayor of Newry and have run several marathons.
"I started drinking when I was 15. I liked what it did for me. It made me feel better and yet the paradox is it was killing me. I was in my first institution when I was 18. I was in trouble from a very young age.
"I came into Cuan Mhuire on my own terms. I didn’t have medical issues, but my head was wrecked, and my heart was broken. I was sick of being a failure. A lot of our residents can relate to this. But I can say there is recovery. My demons have been faced. My story has a happy ending."
When he arrived at the centre he recalls being carried in through the door to a detox where he "just went and shivered for about a fortnight before getting on a programme."
He has been working with younger residents for many years with most of them starting to drink at 12-15. "Lots of people are drinking at that age but others do so within parameters, they are working out their limits and they are not drinking until they are blacking out." he explained.
When Cuan Mhuire was formed 50 years ago it was for alcoholics, to ‘support men of the road, to see the goodness in them again’.
Alcohol and drugs does not discriminate and children and young adults are getting introduced to stronger stuff at a young age. Within a short space of time, they end up with high tolerance levels and they start mixing alcohol with substances and medication.
Among the 238 admissions in 2023 the largest age group was 25-44 but what is unsettling is they had 18, 18-24 year olds.
Pat works as an after-care officer for Cuan Mhuire visiting schools and youth clubs throughout the north. When he can he takes younger residents with him to tell their stories which resonates much more with young people. Cuan Mhuire also has a primary schools’ programme too.
The costs associated with substance misuse, including alcohol reach up to £900 million annually encompassing health care, social services, and justice sectors. Addiction is not a clean business. What can come with it are serious social problems, dysfunctional relationships, and domestic violence. The first thing you are told at Cuan Mhuire is ‘I am responsible’.
Pat added "There is nothing easy about this. When you are arriving in a place like Cuan Mhuire you are in serious trouble.
"Once you are in the deep end where addiction is concerned, too many people kill themselves trying to get back to the shallow end. It is heart breaking to see broken families and to see broken relationships.
"Addiction has social, economic and very human costs. Legal and illegal substances are too freely available. People can self-refer, or can be referred through doctors and other agencies, but to succeed in the programme you must want to come."
He's running this years Belfast Marathon as a personal act of gratitude and in memory of the great friends he has met over the years at Cuan Mhuire.”
Gerry McElroy - CEO from Cuan Mhuire said. “It is wonderful to see that ex-residents want to support the charity that supported them on this life-changing programme. Cuan Mhuire gets admissions from all walks of life with Drug, Alcohol and Gambling addiction. The demand for its critical services has never been higher and as a charity, its funding needs never been greater in order to continue its work in supporting residents, upgrade our centres, and training and maintaining critical highly skilled staff.Providing Support Services and Accommodation for Persons with Alcohol and Related Problems
"We are so grateful to Pat for taking part in the Belfast Marathon and for sharing his personal story of addiction and beyond."
You can help Pat and Cuan Mhuire Restore Hope to Others with a donation at www.justgiving.com
Cuan Mhuire sees the goodness in everyone who comes to our centres and supports them on their journey from addiction to hope. If you need support, please call 028 3084 9010 or if you would like to get involved with fundraising, please contact Vicki at vewart@cuanmhuire.ie or call 07842 431470. They are always thankful for community and corporate support.
