COPE Galway Rocking against Homelessness

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Galway Daily arts Over the Edge open mic night on Thursday evening

Update: top Irish act Brave Giant have also been confirmed for the night.

Rock Against Homelessness is coming to Galway later this month, the first time this charity concert has ever taken place outside of Dublin.

Irish act State Lights have been confirmed for the Rock Against Homelessness gig taking place in Monroes on November 23, with other acts to be announced in the coming days.

For this event local homelessness and abuse charity COPE Galway has partnered with Focus Ireland, and this concert will help raise funds for both groups.

The success of the last sold-out show earlier this year in Dublin (which featured Camille O’Sullivan, Aidan Gillen and Tommy Fleming among many other acts) has spurred Focus and event organiser and Sunday Independent journalist, Barry Egan to bring it to Galway too.

Speaking about their services, COPE Galway CEO Jacquie Horan said: “We are a local charity that supports people affected by homelessness as well as women and children experiencing domestic abuse and older people in need of support to age independently at home.”

“We value our longstanding relationship with Focus Ireland. We also work together with community partners, groups, businesses and individuals, to help some of the most vulnerable and isolated men, women and children in Galway.”

Jacquie added that their figures show there are consistently over 80 families and 70 single households in emergency accommodation at any given time in Galway alone.

Add that to up to 30 identified people who are regularly sleeping rough on the streets of Galway and this is a major crisis in need of attention in the community.

“Rock Against Homelessness will raise vital funds and more awareness towards the need to end this terrible human crisis,” Jacquie Horan said.

Focus Ireland CEO, Pat Dennigan added, “Rock Against Homelessness has provided amazing support for Focus Ireland since the first show in 2015.”

“The annual concert in the Olympia earlier this year raised a record total of €25,000 that went directly towards our work challenging homelessness and changing lives.”

“We are now delighted that there will be a Rock Against Homelessness in Galway this year to not only raise funds but to also spread awareness.”

“Huge thanks must go to Barry Egan who has managed to attract numerous top acts and I’ve no doubt State Lights will provide another memorable night.”

Other acts will be announced in the coming weeks while the line-up for sixth Dublin show will be revealed in early 2020.

For more information and to buy a ticket for Rock Against Homelessness in Galway log onto www.ticketweb.ie.