Bernard's on the up! Follow up to our most heart-warming story this week

Plus, a first look story and the headlines you may have missed...

Jul 18, 2025

This week we had the fortune of covering a truly heart-warming story.

And while we do often get the chance to meet with people when we make a request for interview it's rare that we get both sides of a story.

However, when good Samaritan Chris McEvoy attended our office on Tuesday he brought with him the man he was committed to trying to help, Bernard.

Unquestionably, you get a better sense of reality when you meet with people in person and to see those two together, in the flesh, proved an undeniable rapport.

They bounced off each other, Chris's energy uplifting Bernard and Bernard's quiet reserve, humbling Chris.

Their story has had a profound impact locally with others catching the benevolent bug to do good.

Since its publication we have been contacted by a lady who wishes to help Bernard with a financial donation.

Others have reached out to Chris directly offering various means of support.

Bernard has, in the last day, been housed temporarily by the Simon Community... but as Chris says, "it's a start" and they are both delighted with that for the moment.

Chris even sent us a brilliant photo of Bernard happily holding his keys!

A GoFundMe page - which was actually set up by Chris and his equally supportive friend Stephen McAleenan - has now reached over £1,600 to help support Bernard as he navigates his new future.

Not wanting to take all the credit, Chris said of Stephen in an update: "Folks there's a legend of a fella called Stephen McAleenan who wasn't mentioned in this article, who met me with Bernard that next day and was helping me console him and giving him advice and spent time with us to organise a plan to get him back on his feet.

“Stevy also set up the go fund me page and has done just as much as I have for Bernard. I just didn't do this on my own and am not taking all the credit for it.

“As for all the people that reached out to provide clothes etc. Far too many to mention but you’s know who you’s are.

“Thanks a million for everyone Pulling together to make this happen."

Bernard has also received the kind support of Nico Conlon from Trends N Trims Dungannon, Kenny Kearns from the Dapper Barber in Newry and Mark McShane you sorted him out with clothing and an additional gift card to spend at his leisure.

Bernard is still seeking permanent accommodation. If you’re in a position to help in anyway please contact Armagh I via info@armaghi.com to be put in touch with Chris or Bernard.

First Look

After "jotting down" her thoughts, feeling and memories for many years as part of a "therapeutic process", a survivor of sexual abuse has complied her musings to provide a "quiet but unflinching exploration of what it means to survive in a system that wasn’t built to support survivors".

Written under a pen name, Anna Kahill's debut memoir 'Not the Perfect Victim' is her own story of surviving childhood trauma, rape in early adulthood, subsequent Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), receiving a late autism diagnosis and navigating the justice system in Northern Ireland as a neurodivergent woman.

As a Newry native, 38-year-old Anna feels her story also reflects the reality of many people across Armagh and Down — particularly those whose experiences have been overlooked or unheard.