SINEAD'S
GIFT OF LIFE
SINGER HANDS OVER DEEDS
OF POUNDS 1 MILLION
HOME TO HELP FUND DRUG
ADDICT CLINIC
By Jenny Friel
POP priestess Sinead O'Connor yesterday
handed over
the deeds to her pounds 1million
home to help raise
funds for a clinic for Irish
drug addicts.
The singer has put her house in Atlanta,
Georgia, on
the market for more than $ 1.5million.
And she wants the proceeds to go
to building a drink
and drugs treatment clinic in Limerick
city.
Last night the centre's founder Tommy
Roche, 29, said:
"She did not do this for me or for
herself.
"Sinead did it for the young people
of Limerick city.
The tragedies of suicide and addiction
are very close
to her heart."
Tommy's campaign began earlier this
year when his two
brothers, Alan and Jeffrey, committed
suicide within
five days of each other.
He then appeared on the Late Late
Show where the
father-of-three told host Pat Kenny
of his hopes of
opening a treatment centre for
addicts.
Soon after, Dubliner Sinead heard
about Tommy's scheme
and contacted him to say she would
like to help.
Holding the deeds to Sinead's home,
Tommy said:
"Initially we all thought she might
do a gig but we
couldn't believe she would be as
generous as this.
"But she didn't want publicity or
it to be seen as a
stunt."
More than pounds 40,000 has already
been raised
locally and a number of other fundraising
events have
been planned.
Tommy now hopes that land in Co Limerick
will be
bought for the centre, which Tommy
has called Aljeff
after his brothers.
He said: "People will get six to
eight weeks treatment
and we also hope to have a half-way
house if they
don't want to go home."
Tommy told how his brother Alan was
just 22 when he
was found hanging from the goal-posts
of a local
soccer pitch on January 5 this
year.
Just five days later his older brother
Jeffrey, 25,
hanged himself in the family home.
Tommy said he believed it was his
brothers' addiction
to alcohol and drugs that killed
them, adding: "No
family should go through what
we've gone through.
"It destroys a family. It's the worst
type of death -
it just takes away everything."
He is now working with local priest
Fr Joe Young who
helped Tommy beat his own alcohol
addiction when he
was younger.
Tommy said: "What people need is
to get out of that
environment.
"Drink and drugs are big problems
in Limerick city
right now and we need to get the
young away from it.
"Counsellors will be there to help
get suicidal
thoughts out of their minds.
"They will be there with people who
are feeling like
themselves.
"The clinic will be run by professional
people who
will look after anyone who goes
there.
"Suicide among young people is a
huge problem and we
have to do something to stop it.
They are crying out
for help."
Donations can be sent to The Aljeff
Treatment Centre,
Bank of Ireland, Roxboro, Limerick.
The account number is (90-44-99) 77497254.
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