Hozier helps LauraLynn to light up Christmas

WORLD-famous Irish musician Hozier joined RTE’s Ray D’Arcy as they helped light up LauraLynn and officially kick-start the Christmas season.

Hozier – real name Andrew Hozier-Byrne – took time off from recording his new album to visit the hospice and meet some of the children and their families, before taking part in the light-up ceremony of LauraLynn’s Christmas tree.

He then performed some of his hits for the sell-out crowd of 1,000 people as Ray D’Arcy acted as MC for the event.

This was the fifth year that LauraLynn has hosted Light Up LauraLynn and the event is now a firm favourite in the Christmas calendar.

Every year the hospice grounds become a festival of Yuletide activities and games, including festive food and hot chocolate stands, a ‘Write to Santa’ zone, and performances by a range of acts including The SuperTones, the Legato Singers and their very own LauraLynn Choir.

Sharon Morrow, LauraLynn CEO, said: “This year’s Light Up event was our best yet.

“It was a truly special evening where we had the opportunity to remember loved ones and kick off the Christmas season for all LauraLynn families and friends.

“Ray is a great supporter of LauraLynn and to have an act such as Hozier come and support us too was an incredible honour.”

Hozier commented, “I’ve always heard about the great work that LauraLynn does, so I was really excited to be involved personally in this year’s Light Up LauraLynn event. It was very humbling to meet some of the brave children and families of LauraLynn, and to get to chat to the support staff who are so vital to making it all possible. The whole evening was really festive!”

It costs €5.1m per year to keep LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice open, €3.5m of which is generated through fundraised income from events and activities like Light Up. However, there is a critical shortfall of €800,000 in fundraising this year, so every contribution received from the supporters and every ticket sold for Light Up LauraLynn will be vital in helping to make up this deficit by Christmas.

Friends of LauraLynn can continue to support LauraLynn this Christmas via their much-loved Christmas cards which are now available to buy online via www.lauralynn.ie. This year they come in two sets: a special pack created by the children at LauraLynn, plus a more traditional set of designs.

LauraLynn, the only dedicated children’s hospice in the State, provides clinical care, healthcare support, and palliative care services to children with exceptional and life-limiting conditions.

Since opening in 2011, LauraLynn has cared for more than 325 children and their families and provided more than 275,000 hours of short stay care provided to children in LauraLynn Hospice.