National housing charity Threshold has announced a new host of well-known Irish names who have recorded stories especially for Christmas, as part of the organisation's latest fundraising campaign. Threshold’s Bedtime Stories is a collection of stories for adults and children alike, read by over 60 Irish actors, authors and playwrights, which can be accessed via subscription. The additional 12 stories are children’s favourites and Christmas-themed for the festive season.

The exciting new contributors include a stellar cast of stage and screen actors, including Brendan and Brian Gleeson, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Peter Coonan, Barry McGovern, Pauline McLynn and Owen Roe.

Singer-songwriter Hozier, actor and writer Emmet Kirwan, author Louise O’Neill, actor and writer Tara Flynn and Senator David Norris have also joined this spectacular line-up for a worthy cause this Christmas. They join over 50 voices whose stories have been available since October, including Colm Tóibín, Stephen Rea, Eoin Colfer and Anne Enright. Subscribers can listen to the full collection of stories in return for a donation to Threshold on Patreon.

“Christmas is always an important time in our fundraising calendar, this year more so than ever, as most of us look forward to spending the holidays in the safety of our homes," said Threshold CEO, John-Mark McCafferty. "Homelessness can affect anyone, even those who always had a place to call home and never contemplated that life would be any different. This Christmas, a huge swathe of families and individuals, young and old, the length and breadth of the country are still dealing with uncertainty as their incomes have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone should have a safe and secure place to call home at Christmas.

“With this in mind, we are thrilled to be adding to the long list of Irish actors, authors and musicians who have donated their time and their voices to support our Bedtime Stories initiative.”

The new selection of stories are favourites from the contributors’ childhoods. They include tales of Cúchulainn and much-loved stories from Oscar Wilde, Christmas-themed stories – including everyone’s favourite, A Christmas Carol, read by Owen Roe – and Louise O’Neill will read from the newly released Miracle on Ebenezer Street, a re-telling of A Christmas Carol by Catherine Doyle. Never-heard-before, original stories are read by Brian Gleeson, who reads a short story from his brother, author Rory Gleeson, and Tara Flynn, who penned an original for Threshold.

Of the fundraiser, actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor said: “The state of homelessness in Ireland is truly heartbreaking. I am so happy to be able to contribute even a small bit to the brilliant work Threshold do.”

Threshold’s Bedtime Stories are available at thresholdbedtimestories.ie. Subscribers can listen to the collection of stories and poems at any time until the end of December for just €10 per month.