An educational and pastoral home in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow is helping recovering alcoholics and drug addicts learn to live normal lives, writes Sylvia Thompson
CRAIG EGAN (29) grew up in Bolton, England. He started smoking cannabis at 12 and experimented with many other street drugs over the next 15 years.
"I took heroin for about five years and during that time tried lots of different rehab programmes," he explains.
Eventually he got clean and went to live in the Cenalolo spiritual community for recovering addicts in Knock, Co Mayo and later in another Cenalolo house in Turin, Italy.
"It was there I heard about Grá and came to live here for just over a year. These communities changed everything for me. I became more relaxed, more spiritual and more patient.
"They offer respite, support and guidance and give people the time to achieve what they want to achieve," he explains.
Mark Colcough and his brother, Robert, who is a Catholic priest in Sandyford, Dublin are the founding members of the Grá (meaning 'love' as Gaeilge) house in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow.
Their ambition is to provide a supportive living environment for those recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction who have already completed rehabilitation programmes.
While at Grá, Craig Egan got part-time jobs at the local co-op and with the Wicklow Travellers' Group.
"I started slowly to do what every law-abiding citizen does," he explains. "I passed my driving test. I started college again and am doing a certificate in addiction studies."
A group of mothers of drug addicts from Carlow town have also benefited from staying at the Grá house.
"Grá is our respite. We can ring Mark any time and come down here and leave everything else behind. Mothers like us whose sons are drug addicts are living with nightmares - and respite is very important," says Margaret Rossiter, who founded the support group, You Are Not Alone.
"I love the calm and peace of being here," says Jean Farrell. "When you've a son who is a drug addict, your head is wrecked, you can't think straight, you're suicidal. The support group has been my lifesaver and coming here is part of that," she adds.
Mark Colcough says that having the mothers of drug addicts meet former addicts helps everyone understand and accept each other more.
The Grá house has also hosted meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Colcoughs are open to being involved in other community-based support networks for those recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.
But where did the idea for such a unique project come from?
"The idea for the house was born 10 years ago when our mother died and Robert, myself and our sister went to Medjugorje. I entered a Cenalolo community for nine months and realised I wanted to set up a spiritual-based home for recovering addicts in Ireland.
"I had worked in the music industry and saw a lot of drug and alcohol addiction. I then did training with the Merchant's Quay project in Dublin and when I returned to Ireland I worked in the Cluain Mhuire house in Athy, Co Kildare and later as an addiction counsellor in Coolmine drug rehabilitation programme."
Meanwhile, Robert Colcough had decided to leave his job as an engineer in the US and return to Ireland to train as a priest. Getting the Grá project up and running became part of his new life.
Initially, the Colcough brothers brought a few individuals from the drug rehabilitation programmes in Ireland to visit the Cenalolo community in Medjugorje.
"We felt that if they could get a spiritual dimension into their lives, it would be the final piece of the jigsaw," explains Robert Colcough.
Meanwhile, Mark Colcough had spread the word that they were looking for a house where people could come and stay for extended periods.
"We were getting a lot of calls from people who showed an interest in a faith-based centre and then I got a call from an old friend who said he'd bought us this house in Rathdrum."
In 2006, the Grá house got charitable status and since then Mark Colcough has worked fulltime on the project.
"Our vision is one of love and hope and it's important that the project is privately funded because what sometimes happens when you are looking for performance indicators, the people you set out to help get left behind.
"When you set out not to be driven by funding, it's no less of a headache but you become creative in your fundraising and that becomes therapeutic in itself," he adds.
The spiritual and practical aspects of re-integration are central to the project.
"Those who are re-integrating need role models and our approach is to encourage re-integration with sustenance.
"Each person is guided through a collaborative and co-operative approach that challenges the helper/mentor as well," says Mark Colcough.
He adds: "Our long-term aim is to establish a way of life for those who take part.
"We at Grá would love to see other people mirror what we are trying to do in other towns and we are available as mentors for those who wish to start houses of re-integration."
• Broadcaster Ryan Tubridy will host an evening of entertainment at the Killiney Castle Hotel, Killiney, Co Dublin on Saturday, June 14th at 7pm in aid of Grá charity.
• See www.gra-site.com for more details or tel: 0404-43614