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organisation grew. Whilst it became a relatively large organisation, the focus on people as individuals never changed. The operation was run from the family home in
Bluebell, and the office only moved from the sitting room after he died. The charity constructed two sets of houses for elderly people, at Brookfield Avenue,
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In 1977, Bermingham founded ALONE ("A Little
Offering Never Ends"), an organisation highlighting the plight of older and forgotten individuals, sometimes living in squalid neglect, in Dublin. This was after he had found several people dead in appalling conditions through his work as a firefighter.
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He worked on a voluntary basis for ALONE whilst continuing to work in Dublin Fire
Brigade. He personally visited 3,500 elderly people and lobbied vigorously for more coordination of policies relating to the elderly. Many colleagues came on board as volunteers, and as news spread of the work, the
134:. His father William (Bill) Bermingham and mother Mary (née Dalgarno) reared a family of 3 boys and 4 girls. Bermingham attended St Michael's School, Inchicore, followed by Capel St. Technical School, Dublin.
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Bermingham suddenly became ill in late
February 1990; he died from cancer on 23 April 1990 in Dublin. His funeral was held at
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award in 1979, and in 1985 he was awarded the
International Firefighter of the Year award. In 1988, he was awarded an
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231:. One of ALONE's housing units is named in his honour and the charity has also awarded the Willie Bermingham Medal.
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in 1964, members of which also provide Dublin's emergency ambulance service. He served with them until his death.
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His earliest action was to produce and distribute posters across the city, "Old people die alone". He also wrote
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106:("A Little Offering Never Ends"), an organisation highlighting the plight of old people living alone.
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197:. They spent their 18 years of marriage living in Bluebell where they reared 2 daughters and 3 sons.
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He saw the plight of older people and couldn't stand idly by: Remembering Willie
Bermingham
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Andrews, Helen (October 2009). Bermingham, William ('Willie') Patrick.
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170:(1986) and at Kilmainham Lane, Dublin (1991), and purchased a plot at
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Alone: an account of some old people discovered in Dublin in 1978
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388:People associated with Trinity College Dublin
94:(29 March 1942 – 23 April 1990) was an Irish
177:ALONE remains an active charity in Ireland.
142:Bermingham had several jobs before joining
324:Robinson, Heaney honoured with ALONE medal
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185:In 1972 he married Mary (Marie) Kelly, a
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126:, before moving to The Nurseries in
92:William Patrick (Willie) Bermingham
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322:Ken Sweeney (30 September 2010).
189:woman whose family had moved to
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154:(with Liam Ó Cuanaigh) (1978),
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306:Donal Fallon (23 April 2020).
202:St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
16:Irish activist and firefighter
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277:Dictionary of Irish Biography
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114:Bermingham was born in the
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378:Artists from Dublin (city)
332:(accessed 25 October 2022)
122:, and grew up in The Puc,
130:, where the family had a
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229:Trinity College, Dublin
82:Founder of the charity
216:Bermingham received a
212:Recognition and legacy
285:10.3318/dib.000623.v1
144:Dublin Fire Brigade
138:Career and activism
383:Irish firefighters
218:People of the Year
172:Glasnevin Cemetery
359:(5 December 1988)
329:Irish Independent
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25:Willie Bermingham
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351:Interview on RTÉ
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225:Doctorate of Law
116:Rotunda Hospital
74:, charity worker
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160:Alone once more
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340:External links
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312:The Journal.ie
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102:, who founded
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79:Known for
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63:(aged 48)
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181:Personal life
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68:Occupation(s)
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59:23 April 1990
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41:29 March 1942
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61:(1990-04-23)
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393:1990 deaths
373:1942 births
158:(1982) and
156:Alone again
96:firefighter
72:Firefighter
367:Categories
235:References
193:and later
191:Chapelizod
132:scrap yard
110:Early life
100:campaigner
37:1942-03-29
187:Roscommon
124:Inchicore
222:Honorary
174:(1988).
162:(1989).
128:Bluebell
353:, from
49:Ireland
168:Artane
120:Dublin
45:Dublin
195:Lucan
104:ALONE
84:ALONE
98:and
56:Died
31:Born
281:doi
227:by
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291:^
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