Life in London is hard for immigrants and many Irish men turn to drink and drugs in search of comfort and consolation.
For some Irish immigrants, London offers hope and opportunity. For others, loneliness, isolation, and alcoholism are characteristic of their lives in a city away from home.
'Seven Days' meets some Irish immigrants who have fallen on hard times.
When I came to London here, the pub was my house of worship.
Most of the Irish down and outs are bachelors in their forties from rural Ireland. For many the situation they find themselves in can be traced to the loneliness and isolation that they feel upon arriving in London.
All you have really are your friends with whom you get drunk.
Some of the Irish men who are attempting to overcome their problems with alcohol share their stories with the 'Seven Days' team. Also featured in the report are Austin Williams of St Martin of Tours House and Tim Cooke of the Alcoholics Recovery Project.
This episode of 'Seven Days' was broadcast on 30 March 1973. The reporter is Ted Nealon.
'Seven Days' began broadcasting on 26 September 1966 and was RTE television's flagship current affairs programme for ten years. The programme's young production team was made up of producer Lelia Doolan, directors Eoghan Harris and Dick Hill, and reporters John O'Donoghue, Brian Cleeve and Brian Farrell.
Muiris Mac Conghail became producer of 'Seven Days' in 1967 when the programme was merged with another current affairs programme, 'Division'.
