The Pat Kenny Show The Alice Leahy Trust marking its 50th Anniversary
Nov 11, 2025
Alice Leahy, founder of the Alice Leahy Trust and a pioneering nurse, reflects on half a century of advocating for marginalized individuals. She discusses her groundbreaking 1974 study highlighting the disconnect between medical professionals and the homeless population. Alice shares how the profile of their clients has evolved, emphasizing challenges like addiction and the impacts of psychiatric institutional closures. She also addresses the persistent issue of homelessness and the necessity for human connection amidst changing official services.
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Nursing Encounters Sparked The Trust
- Alice Leahy describes early nursing work visiting marginalized families and meeting long-term clients like Kitty who lived visibly on the margins.
- Those encounters shaped her move into Simon and motivated surveying gaps in care for homeless people.
Persistent Gap Between Services And People
- Alice observed a persistent gap between professionals who wanted to help and homeless people who couldn't access services.
- She notes that gap remains today and reproduces the same unmet medical and social needs.
Evolving Harms Deepen Homelessness
- New drug and gambling harms have changed the profile of people needing help and deepened crises in communities.
- Alcohol remains a major issue alongside emerging drug-related destruction.
