‘Thank you for this wonderful gift of sharing and caring’

13:26, 20 Dec 2025Updated 13:27, 20 Dec 2025

Caitriona Twomey with students from Blarney Street CBS(Image: Caitriona Twomey)

Christmas is one of the most important days of the year at Cork Penny Dinners, with hundreds of people from across the county heading into the city to enjoy a wonderfully prepared festive dinner that they’d otherwise miss out on. Volunteers at the beloved charity are hard at work, and this week, a visit from a group of Cork schoolchildren went a long way in brightening up their day.

Students from Blarney Street CBS visited the charity’s James Street hub, where they delivered bags of groceries to those in need, and took the time to sing a few festive tunes for the Penny Dinners team. It’s a wonderful tradition carried out by the school every year and a gesture deeply appreciated by charity director Caitriona Twomey.

Caitriona shared pictures of the wholesome visit on social media, praising both the teachers and pupils who visited the Cork city hub this week. Caitriona thanked them for their generous donations and complimented them on their singing, commenting that they ‘really put their hearts into it.’

She said: “Our Christmas Miracle. Blarney Street CBS gather all the pupils, and with each carrying a bag of groceries, they walk all the way to visit us and to sing Christmas Carols, and I have to say they really put their hearts into it. The principal, teachers and staff get fully behind this beautiful tradition, and it’s a glorious sight to see. Thank you for this wonderful gift of sharing and caring.”

It’s a lovely gesture for a Cork charity that will be firing on all cylinders over the coming days to prepare hampers for those in need and finalise preparations for the big Christmas Day service. The charity has also been under increased pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis, with more people than ever now needing its services.

Caitriona described how the demographics at Cork Penny Dinners have shifted dramatically over the last few years and that the charity is seeing a lot of new faces.

“The numbers will always increase because the cost of living has gone out of control for an awful lot of people. They can’t manage, they can’t pay their bills and buy food at the same time, so yes, the numbers will grow until the cost of living comes down to an affordable living for everybody,” she told Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line with PJ Coogan.

“We have a lot of new faces, new people who are facing difficulties and heading into a difficult 2026. People at risk of losing homes and all that. We all know what the issues are, and we need to work on the solutions. The issues will force everybody to the wall, and bit by bit they’re going there, and we can see it with the shops and all the industries around us, like all the small businesses closing down or struggling, and they are coming out saying they’re struggling, so it’s affecting everybody right across the board.

“Years ago, it was just men who were fond of the drink, or might have spent their money gambling, and they knew they wouldn’t get a meal at home, or they might have been thrown out of home for a couple of days, and they would come to Penny Dinners. That was traditionally what it was about, and then women started to come, then children started to come, and now it’s everybody,” she told Producer Paul Byrne.

People are coming in from as far as Youghal every day to make use of the services Cork Penny Dinners provides, and for some, it’s about more than just a meal. For those living alone, the Cork city hub also provides a space for them to socialise and interact with others in similar situations.

Caitríona said the charity is making preparations for a challenging 2026, as the realities of the housing, homelessness, and cost of living crises mean more people will have to rely on charity support to keep themselves fed next year.

The charity anticipates feeding several hundred people at Christmas this year, and anyone in need is encouraged to contact them. Meals will be served at the centre in Cork city, with hampers full of Christmas essentials also available for pickup. For those in need, arrangements can be made to get the packages delivered.

If you want to donate to Cork Penny Dinners or find out more about the services the charity offers, you can find more information on the website here.