Our History

In 1988 a need was identified for a hospice on the north side of Dublin. The Irish Hospice Foundation asked the Daughters of Charity for help in setting up a home care service for this area. Over the years, numerous individuals, groups and organisations have provided the dedication and financial support to enable St. Francis Hospice to develop from its humble roots to a comprehensive specialist palliative care service for north Dublin city and county.

Our current range of specialist palliative care services includes Community Palliative Care (originally called Home Care), Hospice Day Care, Outpatient services, Inpatient Units and Bereavement support services across two locations (Raheny and Blanchardstown). All of our services are provided free of charge to patients and families.

RAHENY

The Home Care Team was originally based in a Portacabin on the grounds of the Capuchin Friary in Raheny. The team provided advice and support to patients and families in their own homes.

The Capuchin Friars donated the site of their monastery garden and St. Francis Hospice Raheny was built in two phases.

In 1993, office and meeting space for the Community Palliative Care team and a purpose-built Hospice Day Care centre opened. The Hospice Day Care service began that year, providing patients with a place to come for support and advice from the multidisciplinary team and to receive complementary therapies.
In 1995, the second phase, St. Anne's Inpatient Unit (19 beds), was completed. Patients are admitted to St. Anne's Inpatient Unit when there is a need for specialist care and support in the terminal phase of their illness.

Education is an important way of extending the palliative care philosophy and approach to other healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. An education department was formed in 1997 in order to develop courses and workshops for staff of other healthcare institutions, as well as staff of the hospice.

In 1999, St Francis Hospice Dublin purchased the adjoining Walmer Villa. This was restored and became Walmer Outpatient services, offering a range of services to patients living at home. Further expansion took place in 2002, when a new phase of building was completed, housing a larger Hospice Day Care, Bereavement counseling and a Centre for Continuing Studies.

BLANCHARDSTOWN

The need for a hospice to be provided for the people of Dublin north west was agreed a number of years ago. Blanchardstown was identified as an ideal location from which to serve the needs of Dublin north west and the government allocated a 6.8 acre site on the Abbotstown lands for the building of the hospice. The construction works were completed in April 2011. Together, St. Francis Hospice Raheny and Blanchardstown provide specialist palliative care services to the people in all areas of north Dublin and its immediate environs.

St. Francis Hospice Blanchardstown is now fully open and providing services to patients in the Dublin north west area. The facilities include:

An Inpatient Unit, comprising 24 single patient rooms, all en-suite, and some family overnight accommodation.
Community Palliative Care team (advice and support for patients and families at home)
Hospice Day Care, Thursdays and Fridays
Outpatient services, Thursdays and Fridays

THE NEXT CHAPTER ...

Our plan for the future is to increase the access to high quality specialist palliative care services to patients in North Dublin with life limiting conditions. With this in mind, we have started planning the full redesign and refurbishment of St. Francis Hospice Raheny. Our vision is a modern 20 bed, single room facility of the highest standard for our patients and their families.