Waterford woman fighting battle of heroin addiction faces homelessness in city streets
Alice O'Neill (right) with her friend Linda Keoghan (left) who have recently started sleeping in tents on Hanover Street.
At a busy spot just off the quay where students, commuters and Waterford people would walk or drive by daily, two tents have been pitched at the corner of Hanover Street.
On Wednesday morning, September 18, the Waterford News & Star spoke with Alice O'Neill, one of the people sleeping in the tent.
Alice explained that the man (sleeping on the cold ground between the tents) was unknown to her. He had made an attempt at climbing into the tent in the middle of the night, and had to be asked to leave. Despite this, and while he was a stranger to her, Alice kindly gave a clean towel for him to cover himself with.
Giving an honest account of how she got to the point of camping out on the city street, she took full accountability and said she lost the house she was living in due to inappropriate behaviour of people and company she kept, which led to the windows of the house being smashed and doors being kicked in, with the intention to utilise the house as an area for drug usage.
Battling drug addiction is something Alice has faced for many years, but in the last week is "completely sober". Alice said she would've been a heroin user, and explained that she can no longer "afford to take anything", along with her health being at risk.
"I took two massive heart attacks two years ago, coming off them street tablets, so I've heart problems as well," she said.
"I took my two massive heart attacks in 2022 and the doctors told my mother I only had a few hours, but I made it. My heart stopped for 11 minutes and then for another six minutes," Alice added.
She went on to talk in more detail about having to give up her house, which Alice said she "had no choice in the matter".
"The people that came into my house destroyed it. I came back home from Dublin one day and the windows and doors had been broken in.
"It was unlivable, what the people had done to the place," she said.
When asked if she knew the people who damaged her house, Alice's response implied that she no longer has a relationship with them: "I didn't know these people. Like... It was different. If they were friends of mine, they wouldn't have gone in and done things like that."
"It's my own fault, I have to take some kind of responsibility myself, because, you're only as good as the company you keep," Alice added.
"I mean, they're not really friends anyway, when you're on drugs, only associates. The only friend I have is my mother."
Alice said her 75-year-old mother has continued to support her in many aspects, particularly with raising her children.
In addition to Alice's praise for her mother's support during her times of need, she has commended the work of local services in Waterford, particularly the Simon Community and her key workers.
Alice's key workers told her that while getting another house "is going to be a long road", officially leaving her previous address was the only possible way that she could be rehoused.
"They told me 'it's up to you to give up the place, but if you don't give up the place, then you don't get another place'. Like, I had no choice but to sign," she said.
When describing how she went about accessing services, Alice said she was in total shock to realise the amount of people reliant on being aided with shelter and food in Waterford City.
"I couldn't believe it," she said.
"I went down the night before last, they were giving out tents, and to see the queue that's waiting for the tents... It's absolutely crazy.
"I never thought I'd ever see homelessness like this here in Waterford, but you don't realise how bad it ever is until you're in the situation yourself," Alice concluded.
