Our Story
Chairman’s Statement
We are probably Dublin’s oldest charity. When the Society was founded in 1790, the landed gentry had opulent townhouses, but most of the city’s population lived in poverty. Unsanitary and congested housing led to widespread illnesses, and thus there were many sick and indigent (poor) roomkeepers (tenants).
Dublin has developed greatly in the intervening centuries, but poverty and sickness can still pose serious challenges for some of our fellow citizens, including refugees who have come to Dublin seeking a better life. Our Society seeks to respond to changing circumstances, and to provide as much help as our limited resources will allow.
As recently as twenty years ago, the Society was fortunate to have accumulated substantial financial reserves, but most of these were held in bank shares and were wiped out in the crash of 2008/9. As matters stand, our reserves would only permit us to continue operating at our present level (we spend on average about €120,000 a year on assistance) for the next decade. The only new sources of funding are bequests and donations; while very much appreciated, the amounts we receive are inherently unpredictable from year to year. We also receive the proceeds of the SHARE collection in some inner city Catholic churches each November, but again this source faces an uncertain future.
The Society’s trustees have resolved to put our finances on a more sustainable path. The first step has been to refresh this website, with a view to raising our public profile and to encourage more donations. Whether you have come across us as a result of a search, or just by accident, I hope you will take a little time to find out more about our history and how we are continuing that tradition to meet the needs of today. Needless to say, any donation would be more than welcome – we have made our donate button as user-friendly as possible.
John Martin
Chairman
-
John is a retired Town Planner and Civil Servant. He joined the Board as a Trustee in 2015 and was elected Chairman in 2021.
-
Roger is a Solicitor practicing in house in Dublin. He joined the Board as a Trustee in 2015 and was elected Vice-Chairman in 2021.
-
Margaret Butterly is currently employed in the Public Service having worked for over two decades as a Law Clerk in a long-established firm of solicitors.
-
Michael is a Chartered Accountant. He worked in the Financial Services sector for many years. He joined the Board as a Trustee in 2017.
-
Aideen is retired Head of Reader Services Division in the National Archives of Ireland. She is a past President and present Council member of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. She is President of the Archives and Records Association.
She has much experience in the organisation of events, as a public speaker and a published author. She joined the Board as a Trustee in 2018.
-
Margaret is a retired Banker with experience in investments, financial planning, governance and risk management . She joined the Board as a Trustee in 2017.
-
Felix is a retired senior public servant, having served both in the Department of Finance (1973–91) and in the National Treasury Management Agency (1991–2009). His retirement has been devoted to his passion for history, and he has published widely on the history of the press and other topics. A Trustee of the Sick and Indigent Roomkeepers Society since 2008, he was Chairman of the Society from 2012 to 2016.
-
John is a retired Insurance Official. He was employed for many years by a major US multinational Insurance Company, managing foreign direct investment, domestic property and marine claims portfolios together with the associated subrogation litigation.
He joined the Board as a Trustee in 2014.
-
Colette is a retired Librarian and a former Assistant Keeper at the National Library of Ireland where her professional role included risk and project management in various departments.
She joined the Board as a Trustee in 2012 and served as Chairman from 2018-2021.
-
Dr Róisín (Rosie) Plunkett is a consultant psychiatrist working in the Psychological Medicine Service in St James’s Hospital, Dublin. She was a founding member of CHEEERS: Developing Healthcare Together, a charity which supports the development of multidisciplinary and community-based healthcare in Uganda.
Rosie joined the board as a trustee in 2023.
-
Eamonn is a retired civil servant having served in a number of government Departments including, most recently, the Department of the Taoiseach (2016-2020) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Reseach, Innovation and Science (2020-2022).
He joined the Board as a Trustee in June 2023.
-
Robert Coffey is a qualified solicitor (admitted in England and Wales, and Ireland) who until 2022 was managing partner of a litigation specialist firm in the City of London. Robert has extensive experience of providing pro bono legal work to charities and non-profit organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Robert has been a member of charitable giving committees at the firms in which he practised, including Baker McKenzie London. Robert is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. Robert Joined the board in 2024.