HarrisopensTiglindentalstudio
MINISTER for Health Simon Harris paid a visit to Tiglin Rehab Centre in Ashford on Friday to meet with staff and discuss their ongoing work.
He also officially opened up Tiglin’s new Dental Health Studio, accompanied by Minister of State for Communities and National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne.
Tiglin provides individuals with an effective and comprehensive solution to life-controlling addiction problems.
Phil Thompson, CEO of Tiglin said, ‘It was great to have both Minister Harris and Minister Byrne here today to support the work we do and also to officially open the new dental health studio. Thanks to Johnny Fearon and Henry Schein, we have another great service here for the residents at Tiglin. As we all know, regular dental check-ups are important so it’s great to have a facility on site for our residents.’
The new dental health studio is sponsored by Henry Schein and Johnny Fearon of Ashgrove Dental, Naas.
It was when Johnny started volunteering a couple of years ago on Tiglin’s Outreach Bus, that he first realised he could do more than hand out tea and coffee to the homeless.
‘I gave up my Thursday evenings to go out on the streets of Dublin and hand out tea and coffee to the homeless.
‘One of the nights I met a young woman who said she couldn’t take hot drinks as her teeth would be too sore. It was then I realised she needed some help with dental work,’ he said. ‘After that, I opened my clinic on Saturday’s to residents of Tiglin. Soon after, I saw an opportunity to open up a health studio at Tiglin so I’m based there one day every weekend.’
Tiglin graduate Sinead met Johnny while also volunteering on the outreach bus and spoke of how he helped her get back some of her self-belief.
‘It was Johnny who helped me get my confidence back. My teeth were bad and I didn’t smile much. But since I’ve had some work done, I feel much happier and confident in myself. I’m delighted to see the new dental health studio open in Tiglin. The services are rapidly growing since I was a resident which is great.’ FAMILY holidays are fraught at the best of times. Grown up relations are not programmed to spend extended periods of time with one another in a confined space.
It almost always ends in arguments. Childhood resentments can linger long after childhood is over.
A few glasses of sangria during a long weekend in Benidorm with your nearest and dearest can easily result in fisticuffs at sundown!
And yet here I am sunning myself on the Costa Blanca with The Oul Fella, a brother, the sister in law, a friend and another brother and sister in law down the road. Potential for disaster you could say.
Yet by day three no one had fallen out or bet the s***e out of each other. We were all being very civilised and apart from occasional slagging over incidents that occurred 35 years ago, (brother number 2 continues to deny leaving me on a wall for two hours in the dark and freezing cold while he was supposed to be minding me) the general mood was upbeat.
EXCEPT for one thing– the snoring!
I, apparently am the only non snorer of the group. The rest of them could be heard half a mile away sending shockwaves through the nearest Irish bar.
So where do I sleep? Therein lay the problem. On the first night I bunked in with my friend.
After several cocktails I was convinced I would conk out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Wrong!
Her snores got louder by the minute and after an hour I abandoned ship. I took my pillow and my teddy and camped on the couch.
The rest of them are all out in sympathy with her. Apparently it’s not her fault she snores. It’s mine that I don’t!
The Oul Fella says I can take the spare bed in his room. I reluctantly concede. I last 20 mins.
Not only does he snore but he stops breathing every so often so I think he’s after kicking the bucket. I hit him a dig. “Jesus would you stop not breathing!” He ignores me and goes back to sleep.
Me and teddy end up on the couch again. The next day I ask the brother and the wife could I hop in with them. I am flatly refused.
I am contemplating booking in to the local hotel and leaving them to it. They think it’s a great idea.
When I suggest they all pay for it, they laugh and tell me to buy a set of earplugs.
You can choose your friends...