A charity worker who has run the Penny Dinners soup kitchen in Cork for many years feeding thousands of people in the process is to be honoured with a Hall of Fame award at the Cork Person of the year awards next month.
Awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan says that Caitriona Twomey is the powerhouse behind the most admired service ever established in the city.
”Always an open door, a warm welcome, open every day of the year, and no questions ever asked.”
The Penny Dinners service is not only about providing a meal. It gives the vulnerable and needy a warm comfortable place to eat and company to fill their often dark days on the street.
Ms Twomey developed the helping gene when her father Tom Lynch went “missing” on Christmas morning only for it later to emerge that he was out feeding the elderly of the city.
“When I was older I found out that he was down in the College of Commerce looking after the elderly with food for the day. When I was about 12 he brought me with him. I didn’t know what to do at first. I was embarrassed. Then the people at it were trying to give me a few bob. I was just a kid. That was the start of (this sort of work) really.”
Ms Twomey, who grew up near the North Cathedral in Cork city, said that she still remembers the great joy her father brought to people with his unassuming kindness. Tom, who was in the army, died in 1996 and after his passing Caitriona heard numerous tales of his generosity.
Ms Twomey, who has run Penny Dinners for sixteen years, says her mother Breda was also kindness personified. Her father used to say that the war in Bosnia kept Breda busy with her charitable enterprises. The family were always on the go as they owned takeaways and shops so Ms Twomey was used to a life of 4am starts.
The official remit of Penny Dinners is to provide a daily food service to the needy in Cork. However, Ms Twomey works around the clock seven days a week sourcing accommodation for individuals, dropping food to housebound clients who can’t get in to the building and overseeing night classes onsite.
Ms Twomey will receive her award at a lunch in Cork city on March 4th. Also, at the upcoming awards lunch, singer-songwriter Donovan and his wife Linda will receive Honorary Cork person awards. This is the 29th year of the Cork Person of the Year awards scheme.