Woman who organises Christmas dinners for those in need embraces new tradition post-pandemic

The pandemic created a whole new Christmas tradition for a woman who has been organising Christmas dinners for the lonely and homeless for 38 years.

Margaret Brown, from Sandycove in south Co Dublin, has been organising the festive feast since 1986, after she and her late mother witnessed people at a scout hall eating lumpy soup and cold meat while huddled around a gas-fired heater in a bid to keep warm.

Mrs Brown had, up until Covid-19 hit in 2020, held an annual festive feast in Blackrock Rugby Club, but the pandemic forced her and scores of volunteers to resort to making take-out meals instead.

In the past, high profile names such as rockers U2 have surprised guests at the annual dinner when people gathered at the rugby club.

But now a new tradition is here to stay for those giving of their time to help others.

Mrs Brown explained: “We have to move with the times and the way people feel about celebrating Christmas after the pandemic so we will…