The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, proudly supported by Today FM, takes place nationwide this Friday, 12th April, giving everyone a chance to play a part in the fight to end homelessness.
Official Department of Housing figures released at the end of March revealed that 13,841 people, including 4,170 children, are now homeless in Ireland. The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, in partnership with Today FM, aims to raise awareness around the increasing issue of homelessness as well as urgent funds for vital homeless services that are needed now more than ever.
This Friday, 12th April, Big Busk events will be held across the country throughout the day at the Marina Market, Cork; Blanchardstown and Liffey Valley Shopping Centres in Dublin; MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, Kilkenny; Crescent Shopping Centre, Limerick; and The Canopy in Sligo.
Ireland’s musicians, choirs, community groups and schools have also been invited to host their own Big Busk events at a location of their choice. And as part of the Today FM Big Busk support activity, radio presenter, Ray Foley, will be hitting the road across Ireland in his tour bus, visiting some of the host your own buskers.
This year, The Big Busk sets out to make the event more emotionally impactful than ever before. Focus Ireland and Today FM have today released a Super Focused Setlist of 20 songs requested by people who have experienced homelessness, along with contributions from Focus Ireland staff. This unique set of songs shares the highs and lows of life before, during and after homelessness through the music we all know and love. Performers participating in the Big Busk are invited to review the list and include some of the songs, with a dedication to the person who requested it, in their set. A selection of the songs with voice notes from those who submitted the song request will also be broadcast on Today FM.
The Super Focused Setlist includes tracks such as Valerie, by Amy Winehouse, set to be performed live in The Last Word studio by Irish music star, LYRA! The song was specially requested by James Flanagan, Focus Ireland LEAP Ambassador. James experienced homelessness as a young child with his Mother and recalls sleeping in a car with her when he was just 3 years old. Both of his parents had addictions and James is passionate about young people avoiding alcohol and drugs and looking for a different way of life. James left school at 15 and went to a non mainstream school, where he thrived. He achieved great junior cert results and started studying trades. He is now an apprentice electrician who would like to set up his own business. About the song, James said: ‘I always heard my mother sing it and then I’d be hearing it on the radio, so it brings me back to the time when we were still smiling through the struggles’.
Also on the setlist is ‘Dancing on my Own’ by Callum Scott, requested by Focus Ireland LEAP Ambassador, Keilie O’Danza, aged 24. Keilie was taken into care when she was 10 years old and is still traumatised about being separated from her family. She never had a permanent home throughout her youth and was homeless for a while as a young adult. With the support of Focus Ireland she is now housed in temporary accommodation and has returned to college to become a beautician and is now working in a beauty salon in Waterford. About the song, Dancing on my Own, Keilie said, “This song hits right at home. I am a former foster child and I used to see other kids go to new families and I never had that chance. When I was older and in relationships, it was never just me, there was always someone else and even foster homes, it wasn’t me they wanted.”
Review the complete Super Focused Setlist here.
In addition to Ray Foley’s ‘Busk Eireann’ tour, Today FM has a full schedule of fun on-air activities planned throughout the day, to help raise funds for Focus Ireland.
Breakfast show presenter, Ian Dempsey will be broadcasting live from Galway at Evergreen Healthfoods, who donated a whopping €28,000 to Focus Ireland in a bid to get Iano and his award-winning breakfast show team down to Galway for a show like no other on Big Busk day.
Dave Moore has recorded a track with all the Today FM presenters that he’s sure will top all the charts! Listeners will have to hit his donation target for it to be released. Dave will also be hosting a very special edition of Music Master, with Erica Coady and Gavin James battling it out to see who has the best music knowledge. Listeners can vote for who they think will win this celebrity Music Master and will be in with a chance to win a pair of Electric Picnic tickets by voting.
Louise Cantillon is inviting a medley of very talented buskers into her studio on Big Busk day to play some of the Super Focused Setlist songs and busk the Today FM playlist. Louise will also perform her very own busk at the end of the show with her orchestra of buskers if she hits her donation target! Meanwhile Matt Cooper has been talking to Focus Ireland LEAP ambassadors as part of a documentary series all about their struggles through homelessness which has shown the great work Focus Ireland do for their customers.
The Big Busk campaign, now in its third year, has raised over €615,000 in funds to date for Focus Ireland’s vital homelessness services and this Friday, April 12th, with your support, Today FM and Focus Ireland aim to add to that figure, as more people than ever face homelessness.
To get involved, or to donate, tune in to Today FM or visit todayfm.com/busk or make a donation through your Revolut app.
The Big Busk Ennis 2024 Line up:
2:00 – Joan Hanrahan and friends
2:40 – Nepalese music with Hiralal and Ramji
3:00 – Jennifer Stratton
3:30 – Double Trouble (Lisa and Michelle)
4:00 – Ian Coke
4:30 – Phoenix and Wolfe
5:00 – James Downes + Kerry Osborne
5:30 – Michael Hanrahan
6:00 – Aine and Matt Heslin
6:30 – Emer O’Flaherty
7:00 – Los Paddys Continental Clare – French Experience
