Clare Dunne has recalled being one of the “hidden homeless” before her breakout acting role.
The “hidden homeless” are those without their own accommodation who live with friends/family or in unsuitable housing.
A 2022 report conducted by the Simon Community estimated there are as many as 290,000 hidden homeless throughout the country.
Picture: Brian McEvoy
The hidden homeless do not typically avail of State services, as a result they are not accounted for in official statistics.
Clare secured her breakout role in the 2020 film Herself, which she co-wrote and starred in, about a Dubliner seeking to build her own home after fleeing an abusive relationship.
Recalling when she received a standing ovation at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, the actress said: “When I walked on the stage and everybody stood up, It kind of struck me in that moment. It was like they knew the months of my own couch-surfing while I wrote the film when I had no money and had no work.”
“What sparked [inspiration for the film] was, a really close friend of mine, who actually had three kids at the time… she had to officially declare herself homeless on a form, so that then if she ended up not finding anywhere that she could actually go into temporary accommodation.”
Picture: Brian McEvoy
Speaking on RTÉ’s Upfront podcast, Clare continued: “It was a really, really horrible, scary time but also not fair on her because she had done a lot of work on herself and her kids and worked really hard and was very independent and did not want to be a person declaring herself homeless, when that shouldn’t have been the case.”
“I was just very angry about the whole thing. What happened in that moment was me just fantasising on her behalf, going; ‘somebody with her spirit and her determination should be allowed just build their own bleedin’ gaff.'”
“I met child psychologists and I met Women’s Aid, I met the real heroes all along the way.”
“They were the jewels of the journey that I probably will always, always value. I just feel very grateful for them more than anything.”
Clare also opened up about how the reaction to her role as Amanda Kinsella in RTÉ’s Kin transformed her life.
“It doesn’t feel that overwhelming,” the actress admitted. “In fact, you’re like, ‘Oh deadly, got a request for a selfie there.’ So it’s lovely. And because the response is so positive about Kin, it’s great.”
“I get everything from a teenage girl down at the beach when I was swimming the other day, to a young lad in his 20s at the airport to a man in his 50s, to a woman in her 60s.”
“It just cuts across all ages and sexes, which I find interesting.”
