Coronavirus Solidarity Diary: Cork hotel holding virtual brunch to raise funds for Penny Dinners
Welcome to Chapter Eight of the Irish Examiner's #CoronavirusSolidarity diary.
Every week we will be highlighting for posterity those stories which capture the unique community spirit of Ireland's response to the ongoing crisis. Please let us know about community initiatives which have been set up to offer support to those most impacted by the crisis or examples of people who are going above and beyond the call of duty. Tag us at @irishexaminer and use #CoronavirusSolidarity.
Read Chapter One here.
Read Chapter Two here.
Read Chapter Three here.
Read Chapter Four here.
Read Chapter Five here.
Read Chapter Six here.
Read Chapter Seven here.
Sunday, May 10
The River Lee hotel in Cork is holding a virtual brunch event to raise funds for local homeless charity, Cork Penny Dinners.
The Old School Virtual Brunch with Stevie G takes place on Sunday, May 17 at 2pm.
This is event is free and no registration is required, however, a donation to Cork Penny Dinners is welcome.
The hotel said: "Cork Penny Dinners, have been providing daily meals for those who need it most since 1888.
"Since the pandemic, they now need our help more than ever, so please, spare what you can and visit CorkPennyDinners.ie to donate via PayPal."
To join the event follow this link on the day - https://www.twitch.tv/steviegcork.
Saturday, May 9
Bishopstown U-12s camogie team have made a video in support of frontline health staff after the Frank and Walters gave them the green light to use their song After All.
Neil Manning, the coach to the Bishopstown U-12 camogie team, revealed how the the girls wanted to do something to show their support for the frontline workers and all of those who are maintaining essential services.
He revealed how the video is based on people that work within the the community of Bishopstown.
Neil revelaed how the song "After All" - recently voted Cork's favourite song - was provided with the kind permission of the Frank and Walters.
He went on: "The video is a whirl stop tour of Bishopstown where you arrive on the No 208 bus, see the everyday heroes working in the Bishopstown community, see some of the iconic landmarks and meet the team before being whisked away again by the friendly driver of the No 208 bus.
"The girls wanted to help lift the spirits of our local heroes which I believe it is doing but it is also reported that it is causing a few tears to be shed."
Friday, May 8
The Air Traffic Control tower at Dublin Airport will light up tonight in support of the Pieta House "Darkness Into Light" campaign.
The beam from the country's tallest occupied building will be visible throughout the Capital and neighbouring counties.
As the annual walk for the charity has been postponed, people are being asked to wake up at 5.30am tomorrow to watch the sunrise from their homes.
Not bothering to put a new toilet roll on the its wall holder has prompted a Meath man to create videos to teach men on how to do simple household chores during lockdown.
Michael Gibson has had a huge reaction to his tongue-in-cheek videos which also include what an iron looks like, how to fill a dishwasher and how to mend a hole in a pair of shorts.
The Ratoath father of three says he even learned a few things himself from the videos which he is posting on Facebook as well as on YouTube.
"I've about a dozen made so far. It's just a bit of craic really but the reaction has been brilliant.
"The real reason I started was I went into the bathroom and there was no toilet roll on the holder but loads of rolls around the floor so it was really just to get at some of my own family to replace a toilet roll properly.
"However I went out for a walk and these two women who had seen the video shouted over, asking me to fill a dishwasher so they could get a dig at members of their own family.
"It's all tongue-in-cheek and even I'm learning! After I made one about putting the clothes in the laundry bin, the kids reminded me that I'm the worst in the world for leaving my socks on the floor.
"There are a lot of people, especially men who used to be gone to work from 6am and only home at 7pm and they are in lockdown now and only realising that they are pretty much useless when it comes to a lot of household chores.
"How many times is the dishwasher not filled properly or the bin is emptied but a new liner is never replaced?
"It's all the little things so now they can watch the videos and find out how to do things - or how to not to do them as the case may be."
However Michael's videos have also a more serious side, urging people who suffer with mental health issues not to sit around the house and over-think things but to find something to do, even in jest.
"I set up a Facebook page over a year ago called the Lemonade Kart to share my story of depression in the hope of encouraging others to speak out.
"I've suffered from depression since the age of 11 and there's still a lot of stigma associated with mental health. I had everyone fooled for so long that there was nothing wrong - I was one of the best actors you'd ever meet.
"I'd go into work and put on the performance of a lifetime. Then I'd go home, take that mask off, get into bed and pull the duvet over my head.
"It's important, especially now when everyone will feel a bit down some days in lockdown to get out, get doing something, have fun and talk to someone."
Thursday, May 7
The show will continue to go on for the cast of Riverdance, who took to redirecting the spotlights to their homes, as part of their 'Together Apart' project.
In March, the cast of Riverdance’s “Lee Company” took to the stage of the world famous Radio City Music Hall, in New York City, to a sold out audience which included UN Ambassadors representing 120 nations.
Little did they know that as the curtain came down to yet another standing ovation, it would be one of their last shows in New York and one of the final shows of their much anticipated 25th Anniversary North American Tour.
On the last night when they took their bow and the applause of the audience began to fade, the cast reassembled onstage to hear the news that, due to COVID 19, they had just performed their final show for the foreseeable future.
Saddened by the sudden closure and highly aware of the impact of the pandemic in countries throughout the world, the cast and crew returned home.
Read the full story and watch the video here
Diarmuid Gavin is hosting an online Mad Hatters-style Alzheimer’s Tea Party in his garden which will be live-streamed via Instagram to help The Alzheimer Society of Ireland celebrate their first-ever Virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Day.
Mr Gavin is hosting the special evening, from his home in Co Wicklow, to raise awareness and vital funds for The ASI which was due to host its 26th consecutive Alzheimer’s Tea Day.
The traditional event has been cancelled because of Covid-19 and the need to keep people safe and apart – losing around €500,000 in public generosity.
He is encouraging his friends and followers to join from 7.00pm this evening via Instagram @diarmuidgavin and to wear a hat, take a selfie and take part in a virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Party to remember and show solidarity with people with dementia, their carers and the 500,000 people who are impacted by dementia in Ireland.
Gavin said: “I’m delighted to support the Virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Day today.
"The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s biggest and most important annual fundraiser, Tea Day, should have been holding its 26th national event with tea in every town today.
"However, because of Covid-19, this can’t take place but the nation is still coming together while staying apart today with Virtual Alzheimer’s Tea Day and tea in every home in celebration of community spirit and togetherness."
Wednesday, May 6
A Co Tyrone clergyman is running a full marathon while praying to raise funds for repair and restoration work in church buildings in his parish.
Church of Ireland minister Peter Ferguson will run the 42.2km (26 miles, 385 yards) from the rectory front door and around the Derg Valley parish before finishing back at the rectory.
It is the first Derg and Killeter “door-to-door” marathon and is to take place on Friday, May 15.
Rev Ferguson, who is recovering from a foot injury, is hoping to complete the marathon in around three hours.
Beaumont Hospital is marking World Hand Hygiene Day by projecting staff messages onto the hospital building.
Over 500 messages of support from staff to thank their colleagues, the public and those who have supported frontline workers, including local shops and restaurants, can be seen on a 60-foot wall at the hospital.
Dr Fidelma Fitzpatrick, Consultant Microbiologist at the hospital says they are grateful for the support they have received.
"We wanted to encourage each other, boost each other's morale and keep each other going," said Dr Fitzpatrick.
"We also wanted to say a big thank you to our local community and local businesses because they have been just fantastic.
"They have been sending us lots of cards and good wishes and food and flowers.
"Sometimes in the middle of a busy day it's really nice to get a card or something like that.
"We just wanted to take the opportunity to keep each other going and to say a big thanks to everybody."
Tuesday, May 5
An appeal to raise funds for a community of Native Americans "devastated" by coronavirus has seen a surge in support from Irish people.
The Rural Utah Project Education Fund hopes to raise $2m (€1.85m) to support Navajo communities struggling to survive amid the Covid-19 pandemic. One-third of the area's residents do not have access to running water and it has high numbers of elderly and immuno-compromised residents. Just under 200,000 people in the area are served by only 16 grocery stores.
A team of volunteers led by enrolled Navajo and Hopi tribal members plans to use the funds to provide essential food items to vulnerable residents as well as PPE and other healthcare items to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among the community.
In recent days, they have seen several donations come through their GoFundMe campaign inspired by the aid the Native American people sent to Ireland during the Great Hunger. The Choctaw Nation provided $170 of relief aid to Ireland in 1847 - the equivalent of €4,600 today - not long after they suffered through the Trail of Tears.
"173 years later to today, the favor is returned through generous donations from the Irish people to the Navajo Nation during our time of crisis," fundraiser Vanessa Tulley.
Marymount University Hospital and Hospice will launch its ‘Move for Marymount’ campaign online this Monday, May 11.
The campaign, led by the physiotherapy team at Marymount, will include free and accessible fitness videos that can be easily followed along at home.
Physiotherapy is one of the vital services delivered to patients and residents of Marymount and the department comprises a team of seven qualified and experienced physiotherapists.
Speaking of the campaign Orlaith Leo, Senior Physiotherapist in Marymount said: “The Cork community has always been so supportive of the work we do in Marymount. Now more than ever we need to sustain this community. We are delighted to be in a unique position to endorse this campaign through our expertise and bring movement to people’s homes in these difficult circumstances we find ourselves in.
"Exercise is a powerful tool for the mind and body, something we all need at the moment.”
Monday, May 4
A nine-year-old boy from Clontarf in Dublin has raised €2,852 for the Peter McVerry Trust.
James Cunningham completed his 12-hour virtual cycle over two days, topping his original 200 kilometre target to reach 256 kilometres.
The funds will go to the charity to help those affected by homelessness particularly during Covid-19.
He started his challenge yesterday and cycled 134km in the first six hours, tracking all of his progress on Strava and racing through a virtual riding platform connected to a large screen in his kitchen.
A four-time All-Star hurler has helped raise over €5,000 for frontline workers battling Covid-19 around the country.
Kilkenny hurler Paul Murphy is part of a group of members of the Defence Forces who are running nearly 5,000km as they finish their peacekeeping duties in Lebanon.
The 31-year-old and his colleagues in the 115th Infantry Battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) have organised a unique crowd-funding campaign on GoFundMe, the Long Run Home.
The four-time All-Ireland winner said: “On May 19, we the 115Bn will return home from the Lebanon after our eight-month tour of duty. Over 48 days we walked, ran or jogged the 4,728km distance to home averaging 100km every day.
“We did this to raise money for the frontline staff of the HSE with Feed The Heroes and the Defence Forces Benevolent Fund,” added Murphy.
