Some of the people who have received welcome, food and shelter at Dublin’s Capuchin Day Centre over the last half-century were among those came to pray and spend some final, quiet time with its founder, Br Kevin Crowley, on Friday.
The friar, originally from Enniskeane, Co Cork, died on Wednesday aged 90. His funeral takes place on Saturday.
A steady trickle of people arrived throughout Friday at Dublin’s the 19th century Church of St Mary of the Angels, where the remains of the man known to all as Br Kevin reposed.
“He was a lovely man. He very helped an awful lot of people, and he helped me in my darkest days,” Sarah Foran said.
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Br Kevin had supported her when she was homeless and she felt “very emotional” while standing by his coffin, Ms Foran said.
“I am originally from Darndale and live in Finglas now. Br Kevin helped everyone – the nicest man.”
James Norris, originally from Co Waterford but living in Dublin for 40 years, said he had “availed of Br Kevin’s services” and the centre over the years.
“I am only after coming out from getting my dinner there. The people [in the centre] are non-judgmental. They treat everybody the same,” he said.
“If Br Kevin hadn’t started that place people would be hungry. He was feeding half of Dublin. He had special grace from God – the Holy Spirit was working in him.”
Joseph Deegan, aged in his 80s, became upset when asked why he had come to pay respects to the late friar.
“When I came home from America the man was very good to me, very good to me at a very hard time,” he said.
Beverly Gannon, from Finglas, said she felt “heartbroken and angry” as she emerged from the church.
“It was back in the 1960s when he set that up and we are here in 2025 and we are in an even worse condition,” she said.
“Can this Government not see? It takes that man in there to give his life doing the job that they should be doing. It is heartbreaking.”
“Up until last year I used to get [food] parcels [from the centre] and bring them to Finglas. The needs and the amount of people that he helped extend far beyond this area. [Government] are all coming out and saying what a wonderful man he was. He was a wonderful man that done their job.”
Ita O’Malley, a retired garda, said she had come “because he was just so good to the homeless”.
She said she was “thinking ‘if we could all just take a leaf from his book’ ... not just the Government but all of us.
“He gave his whole life to the poor.”
Solicitor Pol Ó Murchu said: “We are poorer without him. He was a good man and he lived the Gospel of Jesus. Leaba i measc na naomh ag Kevin anocht,” he said. “May Kevin have a bed among the saints.”
Elieen O’Connor, a nurse working with homeless people in Dublin’s Mater hospital, said she met Br Kevin 24 years ago when she attended a patient’s funeral.
“To this day any of my homeless patients will always mention Br Kevin. He is a big loss,” she said.
Among those expected at his funeral are President Michael D Higgins, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, the Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell and Bishop of Br Kevin’s native Cork and Ross, Fintan Gavin.
But “most important” among the mourners will be the those who use the day centre, its director Fr Kevin Kiernan said, adding that seats would be reserved for them.
