As I was welcomed into the small living room, I couldn’t help but
notice the many unnerving photographs of people passed on, placed
everywhere the eye could see. A known Ballyfermot personality Joe
Coleman (pictured above, right) was charming and affable with an easy
manner and good sense of humour.

So, when conversation turned to him telling me about encountering
Jesus and being in heaven, I remained sceptical, but found it hard to
label him a mad man.

In September 1979, Joe was one of the labourers building our very own
Ballyfermot College of Further Education, when he slipped from the roof
top and landed on a wheel barrow — penetrating his spine leaving him in
critical condition.

He calls this his first miracle, for it wasn’t long before Joe was on
his feet. Seven years later, during an emergency surgery Joe died
whilst on the operating table. Having been given too much anaesthetic,
Joe slipped into deep unconsciousness resulting in a massive heart
attack: “As soon as I went under the anaesthetic I couldn’t breathe, it
was like drowning, it was a horrible experience, so I tried to fight it
but I couldn’t”

He says whilst he was out he encountered an outer body experience - “I
flew through this beautiful tunnel of light and I seen everything I’d
done in my life flash before me, I seen my grandmother, uncles and
aunts, people I knew who had died.”

He goes on to tell me he met his father who had died in 1980 and his
son who had also passed away, he claims he spoke with his father who
told him, he had to come back to earth as he has the ability to heal
people spiritually.

Following the surgery Joe says “I realised that two people came back
with me and they are working with me every day since.” However, at the
time Joe felt it hard to tell people of his experience, when he did
tell his doctors of his version of events he was consequently sent for
psychiatric evaluation — The results of which concluded Joe to be of
sound mind.

“Everyone was sceptical at first, because we’re just a normal family
from Ballyfermot and we weren’t very religious. I did get a lot of
slagging; a lot of people would say ‘Ah he’s only looking to be
noticed’… But when people see your ability to heal it’s a different
story.”

Joe has raised his status over the years - some of the many skills Joe
has claimed to have acquired are clairvoyance, healing abilities and
rescue work (releasing trapped spirits), through word of mouth Joe has
been sought out from people all over world for readings and healing.

People from “all walks of life” seek Joe for spiritual council and he
even claims to have read for people of great stature, “I’ve read for
members of the clergy and many top people in this town, they all come
back to me.”

Speaking candidly about future predictions Joe tells me, “The lost city
of Atlantis will rise in 2012; Madeleine McCann is very much alive.”

Joe will be featured in an RTE documentary looking into the
disappearances of women in Ireland. He presents Joe’s Journey on 96FM
between 2.30pm and 3.30pm on Mondays.

- Deborah Tierney