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IMELDA MAY URGED people to donate what they could to a homeless charity as “everyone deserves a home”.
The Irish singer-songwriter joined dozens of other artists and performers on stage for the Christmas Eve busk in Dublin City centre.
Some several thousand people braved the cold outside Gaiety Theatre in Dublin’s South King Street in the heart of the city’s shopping district.
A number of volunteers from the Simon Community passed buckets around the crowd encouraging people to donate to the homeless charity.
Imelda May recited a poem called Home, before encouraging the crowd to dig into their pockets.
“Whatever you think this gig is worth then donate it to the Simon Community,” she said.
“I’ve donated, I always do.
“We all deserve a home.”
Glen Hansard, who founded Dublin rock band The Frames, organised the annual Christmas Eve busking event, which attracts thousands of people every year.
The Dublin singer said: “We organise this busking for the homeless and we send out about 100 messages and around 20 people show up.
“These are all the Dublin musicians who show up and give up their time.”
He kicked the event off with the song, Revelation.
Hudson Taylor, who have recently performed at Whelan’s and 3Arena, were joined onstage by their sister Holly and the Coronas’ Danny O’Reilly.
The Hudson brothers, who used to busk on Grafton Street, appealed to the public to give to the Simon Community.
They sang their newly released single, How I Know It’s Christmas.
Among those on stage were Freddie Mercury impersonator Brian Keville, who sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love, while Stephen James Smith recited poetry about Christmas and festivities.
Described as Ireland’s finest, Liam O Maonlai performed a number of songs as-Gaeilge (Irish), including a duet with Glen Hansard and Imelda May.
John Francis Flynn sang a few Dubliner’s song while singer-songwriter Mundy sang Bob Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone.
Previous years have seen U2’s Bono and The Edge performing.
Glen Hansard told the crowd that while some people might have been expecting particular singers to perform, they never know who will participate on the night.
All the artists sang Fairy Tale Of New York to bring an end to the busk.
Fair play to Glen and all involved. Lovely tradition for a great cause! Merry Christmas
@Brian Dunne:
Looks like great craic. Would love to get to it sometime. Especially when ya don’t know who’s gonna show.
Virtue signalling at its worst.
@Kevin Gorman: zzzzzzzzz
@Ebeneezer Goode: Oh dear. It’s Christmas. Be nice.
@Chin Feeyin: An important characteristic of virtue signalling is that there is no cost associated with the act; simple public vocalisation in support of a cause has no cost to the signaller. That’s all.
@Kevin Gorman: no cost? Yeah, I’m sure there’s no cost at all involved in this event. You’re leaving out that many people pay these acts to do this in other settings all year round. By not being paid there is a cost. Anybody doing their job for free is incurring a cost.
@Kevin Gorman: have a day off lad
@Kevin Gorman: Exactly what you are doing here. Numb nuts.
Virtue signalling.
@Kevin Gorman: Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
@Ebeneezer Goode: more damned when they do
Nobody “deserves” a home, you “deserve” what you work hard for and earn.
@Sirius: Jesus and his parents didn’t deserve a home, so the Bethlehem Village Council quite rightly didn’t do anything to shelter them.
@Sirius: tell that to homeless children.. I’m Jewish but isn’t there something in the NT a bout no room at the Inn.. Correct me if I’m wrong!
@Sirius: tell that to all the kids that are homeless ya tit
@Sirius: As I already said and it’s been removed. You are a massive bell end. Everyone deserves a home/roof over their heads no matter how much money they have/ make. I hope to god you are never out on your arse at this time of year, God forgive you for such a nasty comment.
@olivia smith: yawn. Your a simpleton
@Victor Feldman: Now you go and ruin the whole rant. How unkind of you.
What’s with all these homeless charities having huge cash piles. If the homeless crisis was solved then all these charities would go out of biz. Wouldn’t want that now would they, so let’s hold of the spend and keep them mean.
@J: under this government the homeless crises went from 1,000 to 11,000 and you want to blame charities? If we had a good government who built houses then we wouldn’t need charities anyway, that should be all of our goals
@Kev: you’ve fudged your numbers a bit there but the idea is spot on
…Revelate. Nice one.
I can’t imagine a worse fate than being homeless at Christmas. Unless it’s being homeless at Christmas and having to listen to Glen Hansard and Imelda May. May God have mercy on every soul in attendance
Sounds terrible.. It not music..
Not as good without bono
@Eugene Kelly: Hansard such a pain even bono won’t go near him. Now THATS virtue signalling!
@Eugene Kelly: his so called philanthropy passing an old bucket around. The Irish rich just don’t do philanthropy except as a tax dodge.
Good initiative but only few people can access and for people a bit further down the street you cant hear a thing. So we left after 5 minutes. Maybe they should do something a bit more organised at some stage so people can enjoy this and give to the cause.
@Georges Dessaint: this sorr of thing is just window dressing for the u2 warbler.. Its his idea of being what he terms a philanthropist.. Its a cheap joke.
@Victor Feldman: pretty sure it’s Hansard’s baby
Would be nice to see happen D1 area sometime
@Mr Grumble: more cash to be made from the wealthy clase by picking the most overpriced street in Ireland
@Kev: agreed… but might attract well heeled to absorb wonderful culture and class mix.
I was surprised how many wouldnt donate to the cause yet were happy to watch a free gig . I witnessed 3 foreigners give out to the guy with the bucket shouting at him to get out of their way shouting in their own language. The guy handled it well. Thanks ladies for your spirit and donations great to see thank you. Shame on them
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