Grafton Street Christmas Eve busk: Irish music legends hit city streets in aid of the homeless

Singers including Glen Hansard and Shobsy performed for hundreds of families and Santa-hat wearing spectators that had gathered for the traditional charity gig.

By: irishmirror.ie

Dec 24 2024
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Grafton Street Christmas Eve b

Irish musicians gathered in Dublin city centre for the annual Christmas Eve busk in aid of the homeless.

Singers including Glen Hansard and Shobsy performed for hundreds of families and Santa-hat wearing spectators that had gathered for the traditional charity gig.

This marked the 13th edition of the Dublin Simon Community’s annual Christmas Eve Busk outside the Gaiety Theatre near Grafton Street. Hansard, an Oscar-winning singer-songwriter, performed The Frames song Revelate among other well known tunes.

In what began as an impromptu music session in 2010, the Christmas Eve busk has turned into a high-octane festive tradition in the capital.

Despite a hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, well-known and up-and-coming Irish artists take part in the charity fundraiser every year.

Glen Hansard takes part in the annual Christmas Eve busk outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, in aid of homeless charity, the Simon Community. (Image: Evan Treacy/PA Wire)

The busk comes after a series of new record high homeless figures in Ireland, with the latest stats showing 14,966 people were in emergency accommodation in October, including 4,645 children.

The statistics, released by the Department of Housing each month, do not include people sleeping rough, people couch surfing, the homeless in hospitals or prisons, or those who are in shelters for asylum seekers or victims of domestic violence.

Shobsy takes part in the annual Christmas Eve busk outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, in aid of homeless charity, the Simon Community. (Image: Evan Treacy/PA Wire)

The statistics indicate that homelessness has risen by 47% since the last election in February 2020, and by 16% among children year on year.

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