Getting a life on the farm

Nestled in the picturesque landscape of Tullow in Co Carlow, St Francis Farm is part of the Merchants' Quay Project's drug-free programme. The previous owner, who passed away in the 1980s, left the 220-acre estate to the Franciscans. Her only stipulation was that it was to be used to help people who were socially disadvantaged. In the late '90s, Sean Cassin, the then director of the Merchant's Quay Drug Project, travelled to the US to investigate residential programmes. Upon his return he looked around for suitable accommodation to start a programme here and was told St Francis Farm was available.

In 1998, St Francis Farm opened its doors to former problematic drug users who wanted to stop and were prepared to give a 12-month commitment. "We normally have around nine people here at any given time and the drop-out rate is very low,'' explained project manager and social worker, Joe McGran.

Anyone coming to St Francis Farm must be at least two weeks drug-free prior to their arrival, and most are referred here from short-term detox programmes around the country.

During their 12-month stay, residents will take part in the work element (working on the farm and household duties); educational initiatives, such as computer training and workshops, and partake in counselling sessions on a one-to-one basis and group therapy. It is at these sessions that the root of a resident's drug problem is explored and the resulting issues and problems are discussed.

Group therapy also plays a part in improving self-esteem. Location, according to Norah Burgess, who is the farm's horticulturist, plays a large part in the success of the programme. "The success of the programme can be attributed in part to the rural location of the farm. When they come here, residents are removed from their source and from peer pressure, and also from the opportunity of accessing drugs,'' she said. People elect to go to the farm of their own volition. There are no bars on the windows and the door is always open. The ratio of male to female is about 6:3.

Residents get up at 7.45 am during the week and, after breakfast and household chores, they start work on the farm at 10 am. The idea of the farm work, apart from the discipline of work, is to be self-sufficient. Produce supplies the farm itself and also other Merchant's Quay projects in Dublin.

The work entails tending the animals (cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, hens, a horse, peacock and cat!), gardening, vegetable production and general farm maintenance. "Some of the people who come here have never been on a farm before and are scared stiff of a sheep. They don't realise that the sheep is more scared of them,'' explained project manager Joe McGran. "But they come to love it and are soon offering to clean out the pig sty, such is their enthusiasm,'' he added.

However, Norah Burgess said it's not 'all magical'. "Residents also have to deal with the issue of killing for food and cleaning out the turkeys at Christmas time, so it's farming as it is, warts and all. They learn to take the rough with the smooth,'' she said.

Everything produced at St Francis Farm is organic, the philosophy being that if the residents can live without chemicals, then so can the animals. Both Joe and Norah derive great job satisfaction, and although there are days when they feel like screaming, they wouldn't change a thing. "Of course there are bad days, but when you see someone arriving battered and broken and then leaving a year later holding their head high, it's the best feeling in the world,'' said Joe.

Six full-time staff and four volunteers work in shifts at St Francis Farm. The project receives partial funding from the EHB and FáS but, as is so often the case, it has to be supplemented by donations and fund-raising. Three afternoons are set aside each week for group counselling, and two for educational activities.

After a settling-in period, residents are encouraged to go into the town, to the cinema and suchlike. When they are nearing the end of their programme, they are also encouraged to return home for weekends. "St Francis Farm provides stability in contrast to the chaos of their former addictive lives. They learn to accept that recovery takes time. In the two years we have been open, there has never been an incident with the locals who have accepted us, and the work we do, from the beginning,'' said Joe.