So that was an eventful weekend.
I was delighted for Hope Collective to be part of We Shall Overcome festival. It’s a chance to musicians to give a helping hand and not just a hand out so when the last mile were looking to play some gigs over here this weekend it provided a great opportunity to raise some awareness and finding for an organisation. We chose Aoibhneas Domestic Abuse and support for Women and Children. Whilst the emergence from the grey of covid is needed and pleasing for all the increase in domestic abuse cases during that period is alarming many of us reading this are fortunate but so many more who don’t have the privilege of being able to read blogs or even listen to music of their choice. We can reach out and offer solidarity and support to people. The best way we know to do that in Hope is through actions like benefit show and so we had two last Weekend. The gig in Bohs bar was a great success, Parker travelled from Derry and Australian noise duo Chimers were in Kilkenny so popped up for the night. We were so happy at the end of the night to have raised nearly €800 for Aoibhneas.
In
Online Ticket Sales €344
Cash On Door €482
Donation €350
Total €1,176
Out
Expenses €350 (Travel etc)
Online Ticket Sales Fee €33.79
Total €358.79
Donation to Aoibhneas €792.21 (rounded up to €800)
All three bands gave up their time freely and received some travel expenses which didn’t cover all their costs but enough to get them to play.
On Saturday we teamed up with the Sean O’Casey Festival and put on a celebration of Dublin Ghosts with Trouble Pilgrims duo, Pete Holidai and Tony St Ledger playing with Phelim Drew guesting. It really was a wonderful evening full of feeling and sentiment and beautiful songs about out city. A city we are proud to come from in a community that is part of many of us, my mam and dad worked in East Wall, where the Theatre was. I grew up in nearby Donnycarney, a similar community untouched by privilege but one where people looke out for each other. That’s what we tried to do with this gig and we were lucky through ticket sales and donations to raise €1300 for the Saol Project which is an addiction rehabilitation day service for women only. Our gigs should be about proclaiming safe spaces and the saol project are trying to provide a safe and friendly space for vulnerable people.
It is humbling to be part of something that raises some money for these wonderful causes. Their daily work operates and continues regardless of our money but organisations like these exist on shoestring budgets, they won’t have people on the street looking for direct debits from you, their volunteers are too busy dealing with the harsh realities of life. Thanks so much to all the bands and all the people who worked the shows and those who came along. I as struck by the preparation people put into their sets for these shows, people who are trying to make something of a living from their art or at least pay some bills but they were willing not to worry about these matters for one night (and no doubt so the same many more evenings)
niallhope
