15.12.2015
Archbishop and Lord Mayor to Launch 2015 Black Santa Appeal on Thursday
The 2015 Black Santa Sit Out at St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin, will be officially launched this Thursday, December 17 at 12.30 pm by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh. They will be joined by the Choir of Kildare Place National School.
The annual sit out will continue right up until Christmas Eve. The Vicar of St Ann’s, Canon David Gillespie, joined by clerical colleagues from around the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, will remain outside the city centre church from 10.00 am until 6.00 pm each day collecting money for a number of charities. While the official launch of the 2015 Black Santa Sit Out is on Thursday, Canon Gillespie and his team began collecting on Dawson Street today and received a very positive response.
This year they will be joined by a record number of choirs who will sing festive songs and carols each lunchtime. These include Castleknock National School, St James Primary School, Francis Street CBS, St Stephens Church Choir, Catholic University School, Taney Parish Junior School, Alexandra College, Kildare Place National School, Cornucopia Brass Group, Irish Life Choir, Revenue Choir, AIB Choral Society, Permanent TSB Staff Choir, John Scottus School, Loretto College, Seafield Singers, Dublin Male Voice Choir, the Line Up Choir, Steadfast Band and the Brook Singers
The Black Santa sit out is modeled on a similar appeal, which has been run by successive Deans of St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast for many years. It became known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long heavy black cloaks worn by the clergy to keep out the cold. This is the 15th year that the appeal has been held in Dublin and in that time over €500,000 has been raised for local good causes.
Last year just over €30,000 was distributed to charities, among them Trust, The Salvation Army, The Simon Community and the Peter McVerry Trust all of which work with the homeless. Other charities supported include Protestant Aid, Barnardos, St Vincent De Paul, the Laura Lynn Foundation and Solas Project.
Commenting on the appeal, Canon Gillespie said: “This is my seventh year to lead the Black Santa Appeal and each year I am astonished by the generosity people show. They donate knowing that every cent that we collect is handed over to the charities.
“Standing on the busy street we meet people from all walks of life who are keen to do what they can to support those less well off. It is a very humbling thing to act as a channel for people’s good will and generosity.”
The Vicar thanked those in St Ann’s who will help organise what is a massive undertaking in terms of extending hospitality to the choirs who will sing outside the church.
“There is a small but very faithful team of people working behind the scenes in St Ann’s preparing food, counting money, and liaising with the many choirs who participate and to them I want to express my sincere thanks. We are all busy at this time of the year and the fact that parishioners from St Ann’s are willing to set that time aside and help is very gratifying indeed.”
The money raised by the appeal will be distributed at a special service in St Ann’s Church on Sunday 17 February 2016 when the preacher will be the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Venerable David Pierpoint.
Photo caption: Canon David Gillespie outside St Ann’s today (December 15) with the first choir of this year’s sit out, Castleknock NS.