Athy concert raised funds and awareness for neurological disorder
All choirs joined together for a final performance
woman is using her experience of living with (Functional Neurological Disorder) to drive an initiative to raise both money and awareness of the debilitating condition.
, musical director of Athy Choral Fusion, organised the highly successful “Evening of Harmonies” concert at Scoil Phádraig Naofa on 25 September, featuring four separate music groups in front of a sold-out audience.
The Scoil Phádraig Naofa School Choir, Castlecomer Male Voice Choir, the Baldonnel Singers, Athy Choral Fusion and tenor all performed on the night.
is a neurological condition that affects how the brain sends and receives signals to and from the rest of the body.
The concert was a passion project for Eileen, a former primary school teacher who developed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She fulfilled a dream of establishing an adult choir after retiring from teaching, and she told the Kildare Nationalist that music helps her switch off from the “constant pain” she experiences from dystonia.
Eileen said the concert “was one of the happiest nights ever. The audience were beautiful, just so lovely and supportive. The choirs were amazing.”
She said that tickets sold out before the concert and organisers were able to free up 60 more seats, which were also filled on the night.
Eileen said there is a lack of awareness of , even within the medical profession. She said people such as herself are “suffering oftentimes in silence”. She feels that the concert has helped raise awareness:
“Definitely this concert has done that because since we did it, I’ve been made aware of three other people who have it.”
South Kildare TD Mark Wall and Senator O’Loughlin attended the concert. Eileen was “so, so grateful” to O’Loughlin for subsequently raising in the Oireachtas, while Minister has also contacted the about the condition.
A final fundraising total was not available, but Eileen hopes around €8,000 will be raised, with €4,000 each going to the Irish Cancer Society and Ireland. Two members of her choir are cancer survivors.
She said that the people of Athy “have a great heart and a great kindness, and we just rally and support something like this”.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
