The Merchants Quay project in Dublin is marking its 40th anniversary serving homeless people.
The charity is also celebrating 20 years of working with drug users.
In 1969, two Franciscan Friars established the 'tea rooms' on Dublin's Cook Street to accommodate a growing number of homeless men who used to attend a local church to keep warm.
Back then, the centre could only offer them bread and tea. Today, Merchants Quay Ireland provides meals and showers, basic health care, psychological counselling, care and companionship for homeless people.
Chief executive Tony Geoghegan said that although it was a happy occasion, it was tinged with regret that 15 years after an economic boom, its services were still required.
Mr Geoghegan asked: 'Should we celebrate the fact that after 15 years of an unprecedented economic boom, we still have dozens of rough sleepers coming to our doors from 7am each morning for breakfast?
'Should we celebrate the fact that today so many of Dublin's 2000 homeless people have to rely on day centres such as ours and on night shelters to meet very basic needs?
'Should we celebrate the fact that today more people than ever before are living in fear of losing their livelihoods and their homes?
'We celebrate none of these things,' he said.
He added, however, that the group is celebrating '40 years of hope and 40 years of work for justice'.
