Soul Wings

"I'm meant to be here, I'm meant to tell this story. It may help somebody else. I wasn't meant to die and I wasn't meant to go mad from drink which so many people I know have done" Thomas Kinsella

Thomas Kinsella was born in Arklow in 1950s Ireland. He had a difficult relationship with his father, but despite this had a happy childhood. He began drinking at 16.

Life treated Thomas well in his early twenties. He joined the Garda Siochána, settled down, married a beautiful woman, ran a successful pharmacy business with his wife, was blessed with two children and lived in a fine house. However, Thomas' drinking was ever present, daily.

As time passed Tom's drinking became progressively worse and eventually came to a head in complete self destruction at the age of 32.

Some would say Thomas lost his wife, his family, his job, his home and his way in life but, Thomas says that he threw them all away through his alcoholism.

However, 1987 was a new beginning for Thomas. He stopped drinking and began on his journey of recovery. Today, Thomas has not drank in almost 20 years.

"I have a new history today for the last almost 20 years now. Talking about my new history gives hope...and it wasn't easy"
Thomas Kinsella

Produced by Liam O'Brien

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries