Twin brothers who were among recipients of the Lord Mayor of Dublin’s Award at the weekend for their work with the homeless in Dublin say that being recognised is an honour.
Jay and Allen Bobinac, who are originally from Croatia, came to Ireland in 2016, initially facing homelessness on the streets of Dublin for over a year before they received help from the charity Tiglin. The Bobinac brothers received the award for their work, which honours individuals and groups who have made a special contribution to Dublin and its citizens either on a local or a city wide level, alongside Johnny Sexton and Brendan Gleeson.
Gleeson was presented with an award in recognition of his “outstanding achievements” in acting and social justice, while Sexton was honoured his for his achievements in rugby.
Allen (L) and Jay (R) pictured with Johnny Sexton (Credit: Conor McCabe Photography Ltd)
The charity, founded by Senator Aubrey McCarthy 15 years ago, helped them to access third level education and employment opportunities. Having availed of the services offered by the charity, they managed to overcome the early challenges and have since dedicated the past nine years to frontline services, including the managing of the frontline Lighthouse Café in Dublin city centre, which provides essentials for people experiencing homelessness and food poverty.
Chairman, Aubrey McCarthy who was elected to the Seanad last year, said his own household issues inspired him to set up the service in 2008, previously saying: “I remember times when we had no food at the family home, I wish I had a Lighthouse then, somewhere to receive food and meet good people.”
The Lighthouse, operated by Tiglin, has provided crucial support to Dublin’s homeless community, having become the city’s busiest evening-time homeless café. Located on Pearse Street, the evening service runs from 7-10pm, with hundreds of entries recorded over the three-hour slot during its busiest times. Services are offered seven days a week, including meal services throughout the day, barber and hairdressing services, the distribution of clothing and basic supplies, preparation for addiction recovery programmes, housing support, and employment up-skilling.
After establishing a seven day service in Dublin, Jay then went on to manage a transitional housing project under Tiglin, called Jigginstown Manor, creating tangible pathways toward stability and independence for young people experiencing the same homelessness that both he and his brother Allen experienced.
The Bobinac brothers, who had saved just enough money to buy a flight to Ireland as teenagers, encountered Aubrey McCarthy who had, alongside co-founder Phil Thompson, purchased a green bus to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. The brothers were sleeping rough, splitting their time between St. Stephen’s Green and Phoenix Park at the time while searching for work. Jay explains that they left their native Croatia for employment and opportunity, having grown up in a small island of Krk, where opportunities for work were limited.
Tiglin helped the brothers to apply and access PPS numbers, which took a number of months, as well as helping them to set up bank accounts. Jay struggled as he initially didn’t have much work history, but eventually successfully secured work as a kitchen porter. From there, he was able to afford rent, alongside his brother who also secured employment as a kitchen porter.
“It took about six months to get work. I was so happy when I got the call when I was sleeping in Phoenix Park. Getting accommodation was a tough, tough task but Tiglin helped us with transitional housing so that we could have somewhere to stay and get on our feet. It was reasonably priced rent, and we had a base, so we were both so happy.”
From there, the brothers say they decided to take advantage of every opportunity offered to them, which included up-skilling and training. Both have gone on to receive masters degrees in social work, saving enough money while working as porters to go to college. They insist that the key has been hard work.
Jay agrees that his experiences on the street prepared him for the work that he does today.
“I landed with no money. There was just enough money to get here, and then when we landed, we were pretty much straight into life on the streets. But we can’t speak highly enough about the services that were in place. Looking back, I just remember many different people being there for help. The day consisted of surviving and keeping ourselves dry and warm. There would be soup runs in the evening which we appreciated so much. We would stay in Phoenix Park when it was warmer and when we wanted a bit of a break because you’d be woken up so much at night sleeping in St Stephen’s Green.”
“I believe now that it’s a lot better, but back then, Croatia was coming out of the back end of the 2008 crisis. The employment rate was as low as 25 per cent, and the only industry to work in was tourism. We had two supermarkets and a post office in our town, and we felt that even nationally, there were obstacles – so we decided to travel beyond the country. The reason we chose Ireland was because we heard positive things.
“We liked how it was a small country, similar to Croatia, and felt less daunting than some bigger countries. We had a good level of English when we arrived – probably around 80 per cent of what we have now. My brother came at 18 and I followed four months later, about two weeks after turning 19.
“Those we encountered through Tiglin were so friendly and they related to us. Aubrey McCarthy in particular really took it upon himself to help us, and we developed a friendship. He linked us in with the managers and support services, and all of that has been pivotal to us.”
Jay says that many people who are availing of the services of Tiglin at present are simply struggling with securing accommodation in Dublin. Some can afford housing, he says, but they come into the cafe to learn about housing support.
“It’s less and less addiction at the moment, but there are financial issues people are facing, as well as those who have lost their accommodation. Even if they can pay for somewhere to live, they cannot source anywhere because of the shortage.”
Speaking about the award, he says that it was totally unexpected, and deeply humbling.
‘RELIEVING SUFFERING, EVEN IN SMALL WAYS’
Jay’s brother Allen says restoring dignity has been a guiding principle in the brother’s work with the Lighthouse.
“That was the first cafe we stepped into in Ireland ten years ago. We’ve now both been working there and managing the service for a couple of years. We had so many ideas and things we wanted to do for the Lighthouse to improve the service and make it a real lifeline to those in need of one. We have done things like bringing musicians in to perform, which has been brilliant. It has such an effect on people. We did simple things like decorating the place with neon signs and making it more appealing for users.”
They’ve set up extra initiatives for users including movie nights, bingo nights, and even had Miss Ireland come to style and offer fashion advice to female users a week ago.
“When you’re sleeping in a tent, it’s tough. It’s important that users leave having had a good time. There aren’t many other places those experiencing homelessness can go in the evenings, so it is so important to relieve people’s sufferings, even in small ways.”
There is a referral hub in the same building, where those struggling with addictions can be referred to rehabilitation services.
“We have people who are suffering from long-term homelessness, often from addiction, and also from short-term homelessness. It gives us an opportunity to engage with those who are seeking to engage with rehabilitation services. All of the work and social opportunities go hand in hand. The place is always busy, and because of that, we are able to engage with more and more people, and help them long-term.”
Empathy is important, says Allen, but equally important is practical help.
“Having been in that position, I certainly understand the life that people live on the streets. Empathy is important, but even more so is practical help. Our experiences inform the work that we do now. Most of our staff have a story, which oftentimes involves addiction or trauma. People have been informed through their life experiences, and know how important practical help is to get on your feet and ensure things can get better.”
“There is not one stereotypical person who uses our service. There’s such a mix, including students and some who stay on the streets for a few months and then move on. It’s really a spectrum of people. Working in this area, you need to have a heart for it – there are so many good people involved.”
Credit: Conor McCabe Photography Ltd)
On hearing the news that Jay and Allen had received the Lord Mayor of Dublin Award, Senator Aubrey McCarthy said:
“As a longtime friend, I was really moved to hear that the incredible duo “Allen and Jay Bobinac” have received the Lord Mayor’s Award. I genuinely believe no two people are more deserving. Their relentless commitment to Dublin’s homeless community, forged through lived experience and selfless service, has transformed countless lives and inspired many of us who have watched their growth from the side-lines. I believe the best is yet to come for these amazing brothers.”
In 2024, Tiglin’s Lighthouse Café served over 100,000 hot meals – something the charity says is an indicator of the deepening crisis of homelessness and hardship in Ireland. Last week, the charity launched its 2024 Annual Report. At the event, entitled Social Care in Action, held at Leinster House, a number of ‘Tiglin graduates’ spoke about their personal stories of transformation, with the charity saying that such stories show that with the right supports, lives can be restored.
