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Jonathan Corrie told of his miserable life on freezing streets - but preferred them over homeless shelters.

As a political war raged over his lonely death 50 metres from the Dail, it emerged he spent 30 YEARS begging after fleeing his Kilkenny home.

Interviewed by a third-level student in Dublin three years ago, Jonathan opened up about his homeless hell.

He said: “I’ve been homeless since I was 13-and-a-half; I’m 40 now. There’s a reason why most people are homeless... most people beg to support their drug habit.”

In a tragic coincidence it also emerged Jonathan was filmed as part of RTE documentary The High Hopes Choir which will air tomorrow on RTE One.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly yesterday called an emergency forum to tackle the growing homeless crisis.

Jonathan’s lonely death on steps just metres from Leinster House has been branded a “national disgrace”.

Episode one of ‘The High Hopes Choir’ sees David Brophy, who is the former principal conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra, walking around Dublin city in a bid to build a choir of homeless and unemployed people.

In a short clip, which will still be shown on RTE One tomorrow, Jonathan is approached near St Stephen’s Green.

(Image: RTE)

Asked if he is homeless the deceased man said: “Yes 100 per cent, I am. For the last two years I am pretty much out on the street.”

The programme also features appearances from stars Bressie, Shane Filan and Ed Sheeran.

A spokeswoman for RTE said: “I am aware of it but until the man outside the Dail is positively identified and his family have been informed then we will not be commenting further.”

As a political war raged over his death, it emerged that Jonathan, who was known as ‘Teardrop’ because of a tattoo on his cheek, spent 30 YEARS begging after leaving his Kilkenny home.

Interviewed by a third-level student in Dublin three years ago, Jonathan opened up about his homeless hell.

He said: “I’ve been homeless since I was 13-and-a-half; I’m 40 now.

“I’m staying in a hostel now, but it’s closing in two months due to funds being cut. I lived in a squat for one-and-a-half years and I’ve been in the hostel for one-and-a-half years.

“Dublin is better than Kilkenny for begging, because I get food and more money. We get moved within two minutes in Kilkenny.”

Jonathan, who admitted using drugs, told how he could make €30 in the doorway.

He revealed: “I’ll make €30 sitting in here for three hours; that’s more than I’d get for working in a real job. Even if I wasn’t homeless, I’d still beg.

“There’s a reason why most people are homeless... most people beg to support their drug habit.”

Louisa McGrath and a former DIT classmate spoke to him after finding him begging with a paper cup at the entrance to a tiny lane off Dawson Street in the capital.

He agreed to speak for a few minutes but asked that his full name not be used as he didn’t want people to find him.

He he had turned down an interview with RTÉ’s Prime Time just days before for the same reason.

Ms McGrath, now a freelance journalist, recalled: “After we turned down his request for payment, he settled for an offer of tea and a sandwich. He requested his favourite: chicken and coleslaw on white bread.

“His tired, weather beaten face bore a teardrop tattoo on the right cheek and his hair was brown. He wore dark, worn jeans and a short black coat which wouldn’t provide much defence against the bitter cold.

“Speaking matter-of-factly and without any self-pity, Jonathan described how he was born in Dublin and then moved to Kilkenny when he was adopted, it was here that he became homeless after running away from home.

“He later decided to move back to the capital. He went on to say that he got more hassle staying in a hostel than sleeping rough, but he described the streets as tough and particularly hard during snowy weather.

“The saddest part of speaking with him was that after spending more than half his life without a home, he had no hopes or ambitions to get off the streets.

“The State had failed to help him during his 30 years of homelessness and for reasons unknown he didn’t want his family to know where he was.

“He wasn’t happy on the streets, but he had given up on any alternatives.”

Pals of Jonathan last night paid tribute to him on Dublin’s streets.

Tommy Cunningham, 40, who also appears in the ‘High Hopes Choir’ documentary, said: “John was a very quiet man, very placid. He done his own thing.

“He had his own demons, we all do. Everyone on the street has their own demons. He never hurt anyone, he never spoke ill of anyone.”

He explained that homeless people are often painted in the same light.

“That doesn’t help the situation at all. Everyone paints us in the same light, we are all trouble, we are all going to kill you or we are all going to rape you, or we are all going to mug you or something like that. It’s not true.”

Helen Greene, 26, said: “He was a harmless fool. All he was, was a drinker.

“He got married in America and he ran a bar there. His wife left him and that’s when he became homeless. I don’t really know a lot about him because I only knew him a short while.

“But as far as I know John always kept himself to himself.”