Music night will help appeal fund

Music night will help appeal fund

11 April 2012 - by BY CIARA COLHOUN

COUNTRY music fans will have a double opportunity to support a local charity next weekend, while enjoying music from some of the biggest names in country music.

A country music dance night will be held at Loughinisland Gaelic Club on Saturday, April 21, to raise money for the Romanian Appeal Helpline, which will this summer mark its 20th anniversary.

The night will be headlined by Strabane man Hugo Duncan, with appearances from Boxcar Brian, Nuala McEvoy and Country Harmony.

To further boost proceeds for the charity, Loughinisland electrician Martin Gibney has put together a country music compilation, featuring the artists from the dance night as well as a number of other big country names, which will go on sale on Saturday night and will be available from a number of local outlets afterwards.

Martin is promoting the new CD and dance night on behalf of the Romanian Appeal Helpline,.

He was one of three local tradesmen who travelled to Romania 21 years ago as part of a trip organised for construction workers who agreed to make the long trip to Romania to help refurbish orphanages and institutions.

The following year Martin was among a group of these tradesmen who were so affected by the poor conditions they saw in Romania that they decided to keep the project going and established the Romanian Appeal Helpline.

Over the past 20 years, the Romanian Appeal Helpline has sent dozens of tradesmen on dozens of working trips to institutions where they work tirelessly to make the lives easier for hundreds of children facing a lifetime in care.

During this time Martin has travelled to Romania several times as well as carrying out numerous fundraising exercises for the charity.

He is hoping next weekend’s country music night and the sales of the CD will help dozens of tradesmen make a 20th anniversary trip to Romania this summer.

Tickets for next weekend’s country music dance night are £10 and are available from members of Loughinisland Gaelic Club, while the Romanian Appeal Helpline CD will be for sale from Brennan’s Garage, Loughinisland, and Smyth’s in Newcastle, also for £10.

For further information contact Martin Gibney on 07703513367 or email martingibney@live.co.uk