Galway carol services aid poverty fight
Two carol services held at Christmas at Galway’s iconic St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church raised more than €1,400 for an overseas aid agency.
St Nicholas’ raised the money for Christian Aid Ireland with its annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which draws a large audience to the historic church each year.
St Nicholas has a rich musical tradition and its carol services have long been a West of Ireland tradition.
Christian Aid’s representative was in Galway recently to thank the Rector, the Very Rev Lynda Peilow, and her parishioners for their donation.
The charity describes itself as ‘a partnership of people, churches and local organisations committed to ending poverty worldwide’. For 80 years they have worked with some of the world's most vulnerable communities in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The charity’s Church Fundraising Officer Michael Briggs thanked the choir, congregation and wider community for their compassion for people living in poverty and crisis.
“In places like Gaza, DRC and South Sudan, our work to reach people who’ve had to flee conflict and eek out a meagre living in a displacement camp is only possible because of the support of people like Provost Peilow and her parishioners,” he said.
Provost Lynda Peilow thanked everyone who’d come along to enjoy the festive music and make a donation.
"Christian Aid is a worthy charity for our Christmas collection. They do wonderful work in their outreach, in care and compassion," she said.