Athy rallies round music man Chris Swaine
Chris Swaine and Carmel Day.
Paddy Dunne’s was recently packed to the rafters for a fundraising table quiz in aid of Athy musical stalwart Chris Swaine (51) which saw a further €1,200 raised towards his ‘get well soon’ fund.
Unfortunately, Chris has been living bravely with kidney disease for 20 years, on dialysis for more than six, but after dental complications bumped him off the transplant list, the community have started doing what they can to get him back on.
The night was organised by Capella Productions - formerly the Athy Musical and Dramatic Society.
“We work with the arts in Athy, and Chris is central,” explained his partner in life – and crime! – Carmel Day.
“Chris is co-director of Athy Gospel Choir with myself, and he mentors young musicians in Athy as a singer-songwriter.
“We had 18 tables of four, but lots of people came to buy raffle tickets and hang out. It was full, and a great success,” said Carmel.
The asked Carmel how do dental problems affect Chris’s place on the transplant list, and the answer was way more straightforward than you’d think.
“Chris had been on the transplant list since about 2023, but because he is on dialysis he can’t have any dairy in his diet, and this lack of calcium is having a significant effect on his teeth.
“Recently he was trying to open a plastic packet and his front tooth just came out.
“The knock-on effect is that the doctors won’t out anyone under for an operation if this is the case, and so they said: ‘we’ve had to suspend you on the list until you get this work done’.
“Friends took weeks to persuade him to start fundraising (a GoFundMe page is already up to€8,500) but eventually he did.
“Fortunately, work on his teeth began last week.
“He’s in dialysis this morning (three times a week in Kilkenny) then back to the dentist this afternoon.
“This is ongoing, and we’re hoping that eventually it will be good enough to get him back on the list.
“Like I said, he’s been on the dialysis for six years, and they say you can only do it for 10.
“Already his heart is only operating at 50 per cent capacity because of the dialysis, and the complications are kicking in.
“But Chris is a warrior, he loves the music, he loves the choir, but he can get very tired.
“He has done loads of charity work for others, he is a grafter.
“The crowd that turned up is a testament to his character.
"He is very well respected, and very well liked, people say inspirational.
“So on the night, with David Walsh running the quiz, and the choir members running the tables, I looked around and I knew.
"Community spirit is alive and well."
