Secret Street Tours Guides Dublin Homelessness History

Secret Street Tours reveals Dublin homelessness through lived experience

Kenny Eivers led a morning walking tour past Dublin Castle and St Patrick’s Cathedral on a bright Sunday in Dublin City, sharing his personal history of addiction, homelessness, and recovery with a small group of tourists. Founded in late-2018 by Trinity College Dublin graduate Tom Austin, Secret Street Tours trains individuals with lived experience of homelessness to design and lead urban walking routes that combine local history with personal testimony.

From emergency hostels to tour guiding

Eivers spent years homeless in Dublin, both staying in short- and long-term emergency accommodation and sleeping on the streets, or in parks. He was also convicted in the past and spent time in prison, for stealing cars to make money to fund his addiction. He lived for almost five years at the York House Hostel on Longford Street Little, operated by the Salvation Army. Just over seven years ago, after overdosing and being admitted to hospital on a number of occasions, he entered a recovery programme and has not used illegal drugs or alcohol since. He met another man training to become a tour guide while in recovery and delivered his first tour shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic effectively shut down the tourist and live entertainment industries.

Layers of Dublin City architecture and recovery

The tour route spans standard city landmarks alongside locations tied to the city’s support services for vulnerable populations, including a methadone clinic on the corner of Castle Street and Werburgh Street. Eivers contrasts architectural stops such as the Gaiety Theatre and St Patrick’s Cathedral with discussions on government drug policy, Gulliver’s Travels, and the 1916 Rising at Stephen’s Green. Austin explained that the idea behind the tours “is that they provide a unique way for our guides to take back control of the narrative around homelessness, while offering customers an accessible and friendly channel to engage with this critical social issue”.

Frequently asked questions about the tours

Who founded Secret Street Tours and when?

Trinity College Dublin graduate Tom Austin founded the tours in late-2018 after taking a similar walking tour in Vienna.

What locations does Kenny Eivers’ tour visit?

The route takes in Castle Street, Werburgh Street, St Patrick’s Cathedral, the York House Hostel on Longford Street Little, the Gaiety Theatre, and Stephen’s Green.

How long has Kenny Eivers been in recovery?

Eivers entered a recovery programme just over seven years ago following multiple overdoses and hospital admissions.

“What I always say is I can’t make up for my past but I can do good going forwards,” Eivers said.

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