A beloved Donegal woman will be remembered this Saturday during a special fundraising concert for Donegal Hospice.
The concert is in loving memory of Inishowen woman Helen McLaughlin, who sadly passed in April 2022. Helen was a retired midwife at Altnagelvin Hospital.
This Saturday 9th of December, the McLaughlin family will host a concert at the Halfway House Burnfoot featuring friends and talented musicians from across the North-West, including The Henry Girls, Inishowen Trad Choir, Clann Uí Mhurchú and more.
Helen’s daughter Edel will also be launching her Christmas album entitled ‘An Spideog’: The Red Robin on the night.
All proceeds from the CD sales and the concert will go to The Donegal Hospice. (Donate online here)
The event was inspired by the brilliant work that the hospice does and the care they gave to Helen in Spring 2022.
Edel said: “We were fortunate and blessed to experience the work of the hospice first-hand in April 2022. My late mum, Helen, spent two and a half weeks there before she passed away. We were overwhelmed by the compassion and exceptional care that was shown to mum, and to ourselves as a family, during that time.”
Helen (neé McDaid) was a native of Glassalts, Carndonagh before she married Dominic McLaughlin and settled in Burnfoot. She was well-known and respected as a midwife, having worked for 36 years in Altnagelvin hospital in Derry. She was a very kind, helpful and humble lady.
Her family will be forever grateful for the service that The Donegal Hospice provides to families all across the county of Donegal.
“We know other families who have also benefited from either day services or having stayed for a time at the hospice. We would like to give back to the hospice in recognition for the special care they took of our dear mum,” Edel said.
All of the artists in the concert have a connection with the McLaughlin family in some way.
“We are delighted to have ‘The Henry Girls’ as our headline act and we look forward to having a session afterwards in the bar,” Edel said.
The concert will take place on Saturday, 9th of December in The Halfway House in Burnfoot. Tickets are available on the door at a cost of €15 for adults and €10 concessions. Doors will be open from 7.15pm with the event starting at 8pm. There will be a raffle with lots of prizes.
Prizes for the raffle on the night:
- €250 Voucher Silver Birch Gallery from Sharon Mc Daid, Carndonagh
- €100 voucher for Neal Doherty Jewellers and Gift Shop, Carndonagh
- An original graphite print from local artist Terry Tedstone
- 6 month membership for Transform Gym, Burnfoot
- €40 voucher for Harbour Inn, Lisfannon
- 2x €25 voucher for Bradley’s Service Station, Fahan
- Inishowen Gateway Hotel, voucher for 2x Sunday lunches
- The Lake of Shadows, voucher for 2x Sunday lunches
- €30 voucher for The Foot Inn, Burnfoot
- €25 voucher for Burnfoot Service Station
- Food Guru, Burnfoot voucher for €20
- €20 voucher for Gap Coffee Co., Bridgend
- Hamper from Halfway Stores
- Gill’s Off-licence, Buncrana – bottle of Vodka
Edel Mc Laughlin
Charles Gallagher from Castlefin, a grandson of Helen’s, will also recite his WB Yeats poem that he performed recently on The Late Late Toy Show.
It will also be an opportunity to hear Edel perform tracks from An Spideog’: The Red Robin.
The CD features a selection of festive favourites all arranged as instrumental versions. Edel has overdubbed on the tracks playing piano accordion, tin whistle and keyboard. The cover of the album was designed by young Charles.
Joe Rodgers plays guitar on the album and also kindly recorded this CD at Drumdubh Studios in Burtonport.
The CD is available in local shops including Neal Doherty’s Jewellers & Gift Shop in Carndonagh, Mac’s bookshop in Buncrana, Sinéad’s Gift Shop in Clonmany, Letterkenny in Veritas on the Main Street and also from The Donegal Hospice.
The CD can now be downloaded at the following address:
https://edelmclaughlin.bandcamp.com/album/an-spideog-the-red-robin
To support the concert fundraiser online, please visit: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/RobinsonCoreen3402
