17.12.2019
Black Santa Christmas Charity Appeal Launched in Dublin City Centre
The 2019 Black Santa Appeal was officially launched at St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, this afternoon (Tuesday December 17). Archbishop Michael Jackson and the Lord Mayor of Dublin Paul McAuliffe joined Black Santa, Canon David Gillespie and his fellow man in black, Fred Deane, for the official start of the annual charity collection. The pair and the parish team will remain outside the city centre church shaking their buckets each day until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
The choir of the Kildare Place School braved the bitter cold to spread festive cheer with their wonderful singing, under the direction of their principal, Ian Packham. Different choirs will join the sit out every lunchtime.
The Black Santa Appeal has become a festive tradition in the lead up to Christmas. “It has become a firm Christmas tradition in Dublin and we’re delighted about that,” Canon Gillespie stated. “People are very generous and part of the reason for that is, I believe, because every cent of the money donated goes directly to the charities. There are no costs and everyone from St Ann’s who is involved in the appeal does it voluntarily.”
He added that no matter what the weather over the coming week, they will be outside St Ann’s collecting every day from 10am to 6pm. He encouraged anyone who is in the city centre between now and Christmas Eve to drop by and make their donation. Those who can’t make their way into Dublin can still donate by post, clearly marked ‘Black Santa Appeal’.
The appeal raised almost €40,000 last year and over the 18 years that it has taken place in Dublin, almost three quarters of a million euro has been donated to good causes. Among the charities that will benefit this year are Barnardos, St Vincent de Paul, Simon, the Salvation Army, Protestant Aid, the Laura Lynn Foundation and Solas Project.
The original Black Santa Sit Out began in Belfast in 1975 when Dean Sammy Crooks decided to stand outside St Anne’s Cathedral to raise funds for flood victims in Bangladesh. He became known as ‘Black Santa’ because of the long heavy clerical cloak he wore to keep warm. The tradition continues there to this day. This is the 19th year of the Black Santa Appeal at St Ann’s in Dublin. The then Vicar of St Ann’s, Canon Tom Haskins, started the Dublin tradition.
