Irish stars join together for a very worthy cause

Following a successful fund:it campaign – 204 people generously donated €8,060 – November 23 sees a new version of Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’ hitting the racks, which will benefit four-year-old Claregalway girl Lily-Mae Morrison.
The daughter of professional ballet dancers, Judith Sibley and Leighton Morrison, Lily is suffering from Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a rare and extremely aggressive childhood cancer of the nervous system.
The song features a choir of over 200 including Paddy Casey, Declan O'Rourke, Mary Black, Mundy, John Spillane, Steve and Joe Wall, Camille O’Sullivan, Tom Dunne, Paddy McKenna, Adela and the Meanits, Gavin James, Sandra Dolan, Brian Flanagan, Frank Naughton, Sean Costello, Kian McSweeney, Gari Deegan, Richie Hayes, Conor Quinn, Sara Lou, Mickey Joe Harte, Aoife Scott, Laura Sheeran, Ashley Tubridy, The Pale, The Reverse, Kíla, Preacher’s Son, Arrow In The Sky, Naymedici, and from London’s West End, Rob Vickers.
A worthy contender to keep the dreaded X Factor off the Christmas number one spot!

Meanwhile, RTÉ Radio One’s John Murray Show has spawned – excruciating pun alert! – A Murray Christmas, which features “songs and inspirational readings” from the likes of Declan O’Rourke, Wallis Bird, The Henry Girls, Little Green Cars, John Spillane, Miss Paula Flynn, Luan Parle, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh & Sharon Shannon and Sinéad O’Connor & Danny O’Reilly who join forces on flagship single – it lands on December 1 – ‘When A Child Is Born’. Proceeds go to Aware.

Cathy Davey is the driving force behind Oscar The Hypno-Dog and Other Tales, a new album benefitting Ireland’s Dogs In Distress charity of which she’s a patron.
Due on December 7, it includes the song herself, partner Neil Hannon, Sharon Shannon, R.S.A.G. and loads more performed last week on the Late Late…, ‘One Ear Up, One Ear Down’.

There’s also going to be a follow up to last year’s Twitter Xmas Single, which will benefit suicide charity Console. Masterminded again by Brenda Drumm, ‘Holding On For Christmas’ – an original song – comes out on December 9.

Photo of Lily-Mae © Andrew Downes