Over €250k raised for homelessness during Big Busk for Focus Ireland

Live music could be heard yesterday at shopping centres and local events in Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork.

More than €250,000 has been raised for Focus Ireland on Friday, with the final total yet to be counted.

Hundreds of performers – from professional musicians to school choirs, orchestras, jazz artists and drumming groups – took part in the live music events to raise funds for the national charity working to end homelessness.

Blandchardstown Shopping Centre in Dublin staged three busking stations for performances yesterday.

Focus Ireland LEAP Ambassador, Des Murphy (71), who has experienced homelessness multiple times, performed an acoustic vocal set, singing a selection of songs, including A Winter’s Tale by David Essex.

“This song just makes me realise how much we need other people,” Mr Murphy said.

The Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny orchestra treated Blanchardstown shoppers to a medley of classical and traditional music.