A series of articles by Father Thomas V.
Dunlea in the Dublin Evening Mail in 1946,
article number 3.

TO HELP SUFFERERS FROM ALCOHOLISM

Dublin Evening Mail
Friday, November 1, 1946

An effort is to be made in Dublin to help the
sufferers from alcoholism to overcome the
obsession which compels them to drink
against their will.

The method to be used is known as
Alcoholics Anonymous, about which little
was known in this country until the recent
visit here by of Father Dunlea, an Associate
member of the organisation in Sydney,
Australia who outlined the scheme to the
Evening Post on Oct, 5th. Since then a
member of the Society in Philadelphia,
U.S.A. has arrived on a visit and yesterday
told an Evening Mail reporter of the great
success which it has achieved in America and
of what it has meant to him personally. Born
in Roscommon, he emigrated to America 17
years ago.

[This was Conor Flynn. See AAHistory
Lovers Message 3623, where Nancy Olson
tells the whole story.]

ON DRINKING BOUTS

For the first seven years of his life in
America he drank practically no alcohol, but
after two years of social drinking he
suddenly went on a two day drinking bout.
Immediately after this he took a pledge for
one year. After one year of sobriety he felt
that he could safely drink normally again
only to find that after a few short weeks of
social drinking he was out on a four-day
drinking bout. The next two years of his life
were spent in periodic drinking bouts during
which time the periods of sobriety gradually
became shorter and less frequent.

During this time h visited many sanatoria and
hospitals and had the attention of the best
doctors and psychiatrists, only to find that
very little could be done to control his
drinking. All this time he had been a
successful business man with a nice home
and was happily married. He could find no
reason for his abnormal drinking.

LOST THE DESIRE

While in one of the hospitals he was
contacted by a member of Alcoholics
Anonymous. He had no reason to believe the
Society could keep him sober, but as he has
tried everything else without success and had
an had an honesty desire for sobriety he
decided to give it a trial. After joining the
organisation he was amazed to find that it
was composed of happy members who had
been many years sober and had rid
themselves of their alcoholic obsession.

After 3 1/2 years in A.A. he found he no
longer had any desire to drink an now
states that if he had the choice between
drinking normally again and his present
existence he would prefer sobriety and the
association of A.A.

All that is necessary to become a member is
a sincere desire to stop drinking. No charge
is made for joining the Society, and there are
no paid workers, everything being done by
the members, who look upon it as an
avocation.

The Society does not cater for controlled
drinkers, its only aim being to help those who
have an obsession for drink.

Full information will be given freely to those
who apply through the box number at the end
of this article. It is the hope of this gentleman
that by December nucleus of workers will
have been formed here to carry on the good
work. True to the name of the Society he
desires to remain anonymous.

Will those interested write for free
information to Box D554.

END OF TRANSCRIPT OF Article No. 3