The People
April 2, 2000, Sunday

GOOD SAMARITAN SINEAD'S HELPING HAND TO HOMELESS; 
SINGER GIVES STRANGER A NIGHT OUT AT BURLINGTON

Jim Gallagher


BIG-HEARTED pop star Sinead O'Connor saved a homeless man after he collapsed
in the gutter - and then gave him a night out he will never forget.

The millionaire singer took the down-and-out to Dublin's exclusive Burlington
Hotel where he partied the night away with celebrities.

The astonishing story began when the 33-year-old star was on her way
to a fund-raising event for the homeless at the trendy Club Annabel at the posh 
hotel.

Suddenly she saw a homeless man called Tom, who is in his 40s, lying
in the street with blood coming from his head.

"He had obviously fallen over and hurt himself but people were just stepping
over him and staring," said the pop star.

She stopped her car and rushed over to help him, getting him back on
his feet.

When she realised he did not need hospital treatment she put him in her
car and brought him to the Burlington.

"I called out a doctor friend of mine who came out to treat him and who
gave him the okay," said Sinead.

"He was happy to help and did not even charge me."

The singer, who has long been an advocate for the homeless, helped to
clean Tom up and got him a meal.

Well-to-do guests at the hotel, where the cheapest room is pounds 155
a night, were amazed to see the star with the tattered
homeless man who had been drinking.

Sinead then brought Tom down to the charity gala which was being hosted
by TV funnyman Brendan O'Carroll.

He sat down and relaxed with Sinead's boyfriend Dermot Hayes as the star
got up to sing to the 250 crowd.

He applauded loudly as she sang Amazing Grace and House of the Rising
Sun.

She then did several numbers with renowned harmonica player and actor
Don Baker, who starred in the hit film In the Name of the Father.

Sinead told the Irish Sunday People: "Tom is fine now but he was bleeding
when we found him.

"People were just walking past him. He had fallen and cut his head so
we made sure he was okay.

"People are sometimes afraid to go up to men on the streets because these
people can appear threatening.

"But I wasn't scared about approaching him...I would have been more scared
about passing him by.

"He knew who I was. I think he was surprised and not surprised at the
same time.

"We took him with us to get him some food and I called out a doctor friend
of mine."

Tom had been staying in a shelter run by the Simon Community but had
been thrown out that day after he started drinking.

"I managed to track down his family but they just did not want to know,"
said Sinead.

"People on the streets have often caused all kinds of problems for their
families in the past and they don't want any more. They don't know how to 
cope."

Homeless campaigner Sister Stanislaus was also at the charity gala and
managed to get Tom a bed for the night in a Crosscare hostel behind 
Whitefriars Church.

"That's a hostel that takes everyone," said Sinead.

After he enjoyed the party, Sinead drove Tom to the hostel where he thanked
her for her kindness.

And she promised to stay in touch with him.

Organisers of the charity event were astonished when Sinead walked in
with Tom.

Brendan O'Carroll said: "Only Sinead would do something like that."

Tom later told friends: "It was one of the best nights of my life. Sinead
is a brilliant girl."