Pictured above, the Irish Ambassador, His Excellency Liam MacGabhann (right), met one of the nurses when he visited the Dalton outreach clinic with DCH Director, Raymond Perrier, recently.

Irish Ambassador visits the Denis Hurley Centre

It is fitting that the Irish Embassy in SA has been such a supporter of a centre named after Denis Eugene Hurley whose parents came from Skibbereen, County Cork. The late Archbishop was just one of the many, many people of Irish origin (priests, sisters and lay men and women) who have made a major contribution to South Africa over the centuries.

Irish Aid—one of the most generous Government development programmes in the world—made a major donation to help build the centre. They helped fund medicines for our clinic while we were negotiating for support from the Department of Health, and they provided a major grant to help us reconfigure our café to create a proper working kitchen. The Irish Ambassador, His Excellency Liam MacGabhann, came and spent a whole day at the DHC so that he could see the results of this investment and catch up on the many developments since his last visit three years ago.

Since disability is a key focus for Irish Aid, he was pleased to meet our deaf students (who served him an excellent lunch) and be taken round by our blind tour guide. All visitors are welcome to come and experience the same tour and sample the drinks, muffins and snacks that our Face2Face students are selling in the café.

The Irish Ambassador met our newest nurse when he visited the Dalton outreach clinic. Thandekile Maphumulo joins Hurley’s Heroes in providing life-saving healthcare on the streets.

[With acknowledgement to Raymond Perrier of the Denis Hurley Centre]