What became of the Power family?

Patrick was a chimney sweep in need of a home

THE housing list around Drogheda at the moment is pretty long and spending years waiting for that call is tough for people. But the lack of houses is nothing new. I heard the story recently of a chimney sweep called Patrick Power.

Nearly 60 years ago, he was one of those on the council waiting list, with seemingly no-one listening to him.

Patrick was born in Drogheda’s District Hospital in 1925 and would marry a good Halpin’s Terrace woman, Joan King.

He was a hard worker, one of those great grafters that every community needs, but when his family began to grow, the need for a house grew even more desperate.

Between 1946 and 1958, he applied 10 times for a house to the council, but no joy.

He ended up living in a caravan on Stubble’s Hill with his wife and two youngest children, Thomas and Oliver.

They waited for a garda to come each day to serve a summons to make them move on, but he had no where to go.

The rest of the family were scattered, 13-year-old Patrick was in Coole (Co. Westmeath) Orthopaedic Hospital; Joan (9) in St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Dundalk; Gerry (7), in the Sisters of Charity Orphanage In Drogheda, Brendan (5) and Anthony (4) were both in St. Michael’s Orphanage, Rathdrum, Elizabeth (10) with his mother in Navan.

‘I earn enough to support my children. There is no need for them to be a burden on the State. All l need is a house. The dearest one is £1-4-6 a week and I offered to pay £2.” He added bitterly: “1 have never been told why 1 haven’t got one. Maybe it’s snobbishness.’

‘Who would want to live beside a chimney sweep,’ was one comment that came his way via a corporation member.

But Patrick Power would not give in. He began a petition - long before the internet - and claimed to have 4,000 backers inside a few weeks. It was going to the Minister for Health.

The former soldier was a pretty determined man, but what became of the Power family and did they ever get the chance to unite again?