Kicking off this Friday the Big Busk will be held across the country throughout the day at the Marina Market Cork, Blanchardstown and Liffey Valley shopping centres Dublin, MacDonagh Junction shopping centre Kilkenny, Crescent Shopping Centre Limerick, and the Canopy in Sligo.

Ireland's musicians, choirs, community groups have also been invited to host their own Big Busk events.

This year, the fundraiser has released a special Super Focused Setlist, which features 20 songs requested by people who have experienced homelessness, along with contributions from Focus Ireland staff.

The playlist includes tracks diverse in emotion and genre, including Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah' and 'Something Inside (So Strong)' by Labi Siffre.

One song  that was specially requested was Amy Winehouse's 'Valerie', chosen by Focus Ireland Leap Ambassador James Flanagan, who experienced homelessness as a young child with his Mother and recalls sleeping in a car with her when he was just 3 years old.

Now an apprentice electrician, James is on the cusp of  setting up his own business. About the song, James said: "I always heard my mother sing it and then I’d be hearing it on the radio, so it brings me back to the time when we were still smiling through the struggles".

The song will be performed by Kildare's Lea Hearte, in the Today FM studio with Matt Cooper on The Last Word.

Supporting this year's Big Busk is Saibh Skelly, who will be performing in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre at 3pm tomorrow. Saibh Skelly has been busking in Dublin City centre since she was fifteen and has said that definitely seen a rise in homelessness in Dublin City centre in the last five years.

As part of TodayFm.'s support of the event, radio presenter Ray Foley will be hitting the road in his Busk Éireann bus, visiting performers around the country.

Also being run by Today Fm. is David Moore's Music Master Show which will see Gavin James take on Erica Cody in a competition to see who has more musical knowledge.

The Big Busk, now in its third year, has raised over €600,000 for Focus Ireland.

The Department of Housing put official homelessness figures at 13,841 people, including 4,170 children at the end of March 2024.

To support this years' initiative, donations can be made through this link, while musicians who wish to run a Big Busk event are encouraged to do so here.