SARSFIELD HOUSE
DUBLIN ~ IRELAND
After World War II with the breakdown of family life in Dublin, Archbishop John Charles McQuaid had long been concerned with the misery of homeless boys in the streets, so he wrote to Fr. Bidone to ask The Sons of Divine Providence for help. Just outside the city of Dublin a vacant tract of land became available at Inchicore, off Sarsfield Road and was purchased in 1970. An appeal was launched to provide a purpose-built hostel for a home for up to 30 boys, accommodation for the priest and brothers of the Order and a chapel.
Sarsfield House
The house was named after the great Irish patriot, Patrick Sarsfield,
who commanded the Irish troops in the war against the English monarch
William III. The foundation stone
was laid by Archbishop Dermot Ryan on 27th September 1972 and
was opened in December 1974 when the students from Upholland arrived to
help in running the home by organising games and leisure activities for
them.
With them to start the work came Fr. Victor Muzzin and in the Autumn issue
in 1973 of 'The Bridge' Magazine he gave the aims of Sarsfield House to
be “The training of boys for their integration into society as useful
members by developing hidden potential and by instilling a sense of purpose.
As success is for most people the fruit of hard work, this is a
lesson the boys must learn”.
In November 2001- the Hostel for boys ceased to function for a variety of insurmountable difficulties and concentration was directed into caring for the Elderly.
Bidone Court, which houses flats for independent people, still flourishes and is a great social centre for the people who live there.
Bidone Court