1996–2026
For 30 years, The Oasis Centre has provided a safe and supportive place for people experiencing personal difficulties and challenging times. Established by the Religious Sisters of Charity in February 1996, the Centre continues to respond to the needs of individuals and families in Dublin’s North Inner City and beyond.
The service began when Sr Geraldine Byrne welcomed her first counselling client. As referrals from GPs, the Mater Hospital and the local community increased, the Centre grew with the support of Sisters, staff and volunteer counsellors, providing professional counselling to those in need.
During its first five years, approximately 10,000 counselling sessions were provided. From the beginning, Oasis has been committed to making counselling accessible to people on low incomes. Counselling is offered on a low-cost or no-cost basis, with fees arranged according to what the client can afford, so that financial difficulty does not prevent people from receiving support.
Responding to the needs of the community
Over the years, the Centre has developed its services in response to changing community needs. Alongside counselling, Oasis offers bereavement support, outreach counselling, mindfulness programmes and training in suicide prevention, self-harm awareness and suicide bereavement.
Since introducing Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) in 2006, more than 1,000 people have received suicide intervention training at the Centre, helping to equip individuals and professionals with the skills to offer support to those experiencing distress.
People come to Oasis with a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, addiction, bereavement, abuse, domestic violence and relationship problems. The Centre also supports refugees, immigrants and people experiencing homelessness. Many people seeking support have experienced trauma, displacement, persecution, uncertainty and profound loss.
In all of its work, Oasis seeks to provide a welcoming and confidential environment where difficulties can be discussed and worked through with understanding and respect.
In 2024, the Centre recorded 8,229 attendances for counselling, training and group activities. Demand continued to grow in 2025, with people presenting with increasingly complex needs.
A commitment to care and service
The work of Oasis is made possible through the dedication of its staff, volunteer counsellors and administrative team, together with the support of funders, donors and community organisations.
This commitment to supporting those in need reflects the spirit of service at the heart of the mission of the Religious Sisters of Charity. It is a ministry that recognises the dignity of each person and seeks to respond with compassion to those experiencing hardship and vulnerability.
As we mark 30 years of the Oasis Centre, we give thanks to all who have contributed to its development and continued work, particularly the Religious Sisters of Charity, the Religious of Christian Education, its Board of Directors, staff and volunteers, and the many organisations and individuals who have supported the service.
Above all, we are grateful to the people who have placed their trust in Oasis and allowed the Centre to accompany them through difficult times.
Sharing her reflections on the milestone Sr Geraldine Byrne recalls the importance of choosing an appropriate name for the centre:
“When I look back on the last thirty years, I recall specifically picking a name for the centre and we choose ‘The OASIS Centre’ – a place of calm in the hustle and bustle of daily life, a place of reassurance in the middle of the North East Inner City, a safe haven for quiet, rest and finally a place of welcome to all who enter The Oasis Centre. May we always continue to help others and give them hope and comfort”,
Looking to the future
Thirty years after its doors first opened, the need for the work of Oasis remains. As individuals, families and communities continue to face challenges, the Centre remains committed to providing professional, accessible and compassionate support to those who need it.
With gratitude for all that has been made possible over the past three decades, Oasis looks to the future with a continued commitment to listening, responding to need and offering a safe and supportive place to those who seek help.
