Focus Ireland

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗽 – 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝘁!  🎉🚶♂️🚶♀️ A massive thank you to everyone who took part in the 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 – you made this year’s challenge our biggest yet! 📈 50% increase in participation! 👟 5,559 participants 🏆 1,564 teams 🚶♂️ 1.5 billion steps walked 🌍 Over 1 million kilometres covered 🔥 55 million steps taken every single day! Your dedication, teamwork, and commitment to getting moving have made this an incredible event. Whether you hit 10,000 or 16,000 steps a day, set personal bests, or simply enjoyed being more active, thanks for getting involved! Donations are still coming in for Jigsaw - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health and Focus Ireland and we have raised over 13,000 so far. Thank you to everyone who has supported the fantastic work both charities do in our communities. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! Sign up for 2026 and let’s make it even bigger: https://lnkd.in/d6MtrxWv A massive thank you to our ambassadors Rob Heffernan OLY and Sharlene Mawdsley. #Steps2025 Forvis Mazars Group #Teamwork #Wellbeing

🎤 Calling all buskers! We're searching for Ireland’s Next Big Busker as part of The #BigBusk for Focus Ireland 🌟 Win a recording session at Today FM and get featured to 1.5M followers across TikTok, Instagram & Facebook! 📲 Big names like Dermot Kennedy & Ed Sheeran started busking on the streets—could you be next? 🎶 Enter: https://lnkd.in/ed4VuSZ7

 Could YOU Be Ireland’s Next Big Busker? 🎶 We’re on the hunt for Ireland’s Next Big Busker and it could be YOU! As part of The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, we’ve teamed up with Today FM to find the country’s best up-and-coming busking act 🌟 What’s up for grabs? 🏆 The title of Ireland’s Next Big Busker 🎧 A recording session at Today FM to produce your very own single 📣 Your performance shared with 1.5 million followers on Today FM’s social channels! Think you’ve got what it takes? Enter now on https://lnkd.in/eg9g27Qe 💛 First things first, you need to be signed up for The Big Busk! Whether you’re organising your own event or joining one of our busking events across Ireland, you’ll be helping to raise vital funds to support the 14,864 people in Ireland currently without a place to call home. Together, we can #EndHomelessness one song at a time. Sign up to busk: https://lnkd.in/eiKx9NJt #BigBusk #IrelandsNextBigBusker #FocusIreland #EndHomelessness #TodayFM

Thanks to An Taoiseach Michéal Martin for coming to Mallow to launch our new housing development of 13 homes in what was the previous Dairygold Agri-business offices. It's a great project to provide housing right in the centre of the town.

I am delighted to share that Focus Ireland are a top-tier charity beneficiary of the Ring Of Kerry Charity Cycle again this year! Lorraine Toner and I attended the first Charity Sub-Committee meeting last week in the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa alongside the other fantastic charities involved this year. This is my first time being involved and I can't wait to recruit plenty of cyclists and raise plenty of money for our services. Every one of us has a right to a place we can call home. Not just a roof over our head, but somewhere we feel settled, safe and secure, and can build our life and future. This year, as the homelessness crisis worsens and our services and supports become even more invaluable, we are hoping to raise over €100’000. Signing up to the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle in aid of Focus Ireland and setting a fundraising target help us get people into homes, and end homelessness in Ireland for good. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e-yT63VS

Celebrating Long Service today in Focus Ireland with #SrStan! #60years between the 3 of us! It’s a tough job a lot of the time but couldn’t ask for a better organisation or people to do it with! Best of luck to David Niblock, who’s retiring on Friday! End of an era, leaves a big legacy behind him and not half bad for a scouser!!! Enjoy the painting and decorating! #focusireland ❤️

Join Pat Shortt and Faye Shortt for an evening of laughter at The Sugar Club on Tuesday 25 February. Tickets are €10, with all proceeds going to Focus Ireland: https://lnkd.in/eS9YARYV The father/daughter comedy duo have created a hilarious and one-off performance (18+ show) that will shine a spotlight on presbyopia, a common eye condition affecting over-40s, encouraging audiences to take charge of their vision health. Pat said, “Partnering with Specsavers for this campaign has been brilliant. We're shining a light on presbyopia and having a good laugh, because let's face it, we've all been there. Holding the phone out, needing bigger text, turning on every light in the house – it's all too familiar! Join us for a night of fun and relatable humour". #IrishComedy #DublinEvents #FocusIreland #Specsavers #LoveGlasses

We might make buskers out of them yet! 🎸 The Big Busk for Focus Ireland is back for 2025 🥁🎤 Our presenters are in #BigBusk Bootcamp to get ready for the big day! 💪 Sign up to take part on Friday, March 7th at todayfm.com/busk 👈 Play your part in ending homelessness

🏊🏼♂️🚴♂️🏃🏻♂️70.3 in aid of Focus Ireland 🏊♂️🚴♂️🏃♂️ As I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago.I’ll be competing in a Half Ironman in May — 1.9km swim, 96km bike ride, and 21.1km run. It’s a big personal challenge, but it’s nothing compared to the struggles faced by those in need in relentless weather conditions. The reason I’m doing this is simple: Focus Ireland’s mission to end homelessness is something I deeply believe in. They provide essential services and support to help people rebuild their lives, and they rely on donations to continue their vital work. How can you help? I’d be incredibly grateful if you could donate to this cause! Every contribution, big or small, will make a real difference. Here’s the link to donate: 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 https://lnkd.in/eshYpHwG Thank you for supporting me on this journey, and for helping make a difference in the lives of those who need it most! 🙏 #FocusIreland #Fundraising #70.3 #HalfIronman #EndHomelessness #Charity #MakeADifference Feel free to adjust any details, especially the date or fundraising link, and you’re good to go!

Focus Ireland recently hosted an Awareness Evening at the Graffiti Theatre Company in Blackpool, Cork City. The event brought together key stakeholders, media representatives, and members of the public to highlight the vital work Focus Ireland is doing to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Cork City and County. The Awareness Evening featured speeches from distinguished guests, including the Lord Mayor of Cork City, Dan Boyle, alongside representatives from Focus Ireland. Acting Director of Fundraising, Jesse Wiesblatt emphasised the urgency of addressing homelessness and the critical role of community support in tackling the crisis. Speaking at the event, Jesse Wiesblatt said: “The number of people facing homelessness is at an all-time high, and our work in Cork is more vital than ever. Last year, we supported 42 families in crisis and we currently provide over 150 homes in the city and county. These numbers show that solutions exist, but we need continued support to expand our impact and help even more people find a place to call home.” She adds: “Homelessness is not just a statistic; it affects real people, including families and children in our community. The support we receive from local authorities, businesses, and individuals is invaluable in helping us continue our work. Events like tonight’s ‘Awareness Evening’ help to shine a light on the ongoing crisis and the efforts being made to combat it.” The event also provided attendees with the opportunity to engage with Focus Ireland staff, including Eimear O Riordan, Tenancy Support Team Lead for Cork and Kerry, who shared insights into the organisation’s frontline work. Focus Ireland has been operating in Cork since 2007, steadily expanding its services. In 2023, the organisation celebrated the opening of 16 new homes on Grand Parade, marking a significant step in its commitment to providing secure housing solutions. With 15,199 people now homeless across Ireland, including 589 adults in Cork, the need for action has never been greater. Focus Ireland remains dedicated to working with local authorities and the public to ensure that homelessness becomes a thing of the past. For more information on how to support their efforts, visit FocusIreland.ie 📸 Larry Cummins / EchoLive 🖊 Rachel Lysaght / EchoLive