THE BODY of the tragic homeless Irish woman was found in the same doorway where her aunt died seven years ago, it has emerged.
The homeless woman, who has been named as Kathleen O'Sullivan, 44, was found at 8am yesterday on Oliver Plunkett Street Lower in Cork city.
Ms O'Sullivan's is the third person to die on Irish streets in the last ten days and the eighth person to die since August.
Christina Chalmers of Helping Cork Homeless said Ms O'Sullivan had been ill at the time of her death and attempted to get into a shelter where Ms Chalmers claimed she had a room.
She said: “I knew her. She was very unwell, she was sick. She tried to get into a shelter on Tuesday night on two occasions.
"She had a room in the shelter and she told the staff, ‘I’m afraid I’ll die on the streets.'
Gardaí at the scene where the homeless woman died yesterday. (Picture: TV3 News)“Her own aunt died seven years ago, in the very same doorway.
“She tried coming back later on at about 3am and she was turned away again," she said.
It is understood she had been using homeless services for several years.
Paul Sheehan from the Cork Simon Community told TV3 News, "Our thoughts are very much with this woman's family, and anyone who has worked with her or supported her.
"It is very sad and it hits people very hard," he said.
"To be fair, there is a very good response from an emergency point of view. There are emergency beds in this city, and that's thanks to Government funding and the City Council.
"Our concern is that would be viewed as a permanent solution, and it should never be, it should always be an emergency.
"What we really need is for people to be in their own homes because it's only then that they can effectively address all the other needs that push them into homelessness in the first place.
"Without that home, those needs are never going to be solved," Mr Sheehan said.
Tributes to the deceased woman were paid by community group Helping Cork's Homeless, who offered thoughts and prayers to Ms O'Sullivan's friends and family.
With the weather outside as it is tonight please spare a thought for all those who will be sleeping out in it tonight...
Posted by Please join me in Helping Corks Homeless on Wednesday, 6 December 2017
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