Kildare concert raises funds for Syrian refugees

"We're very fortunate to live around here, in Kilcullen and Gormanstown," those who supported a recent Syrian refugees fundraiser concert in Gormanstown Church were told. "This is a very special place, where generations have come to reflect and worship. Do you think, when you hear the birds outside in the morning, how amazingly fortunate we all are to be here."

Then Dr Brendan O'Shea flipped to the other side of the coin, the four million Syrian refugees who have fled their country since 2011 when civil war broke out against the Assad family dictatorship. "Before that there were 21 million people living in reasonable harmony and prosperity. Now there are 15 million left, over half a million are dead, and a large proportion of those who fled went to Jordan."

There are currently around 800,000 Syrian refugees in the Jordan camps, a figure down from around 1.4 million. Not because they have been able to go home, rather that the conditions they live under have drastically reduced their number. "They're a traumatised people," Dr O'Shea said. "They traded their freedom for a basic level of security in the UNCHR camps. But they're effectively incarcerated. Children have been born in the camps and don't know any other existence. They're poorly nourished, and they're dying from all the things that we here can have treatment for — diabetes, blood pressure, appendicitis."

A short recollection of life in Aleppo in Syria before and after the war was given by Syrian Muhammad Achour, a qualified architect. He recalled his time before the war, working in an architectural practice and giving two days as a teaching assistant at the Aleppo university while studying for his Masters. "Then the war started in one city and spread to all the others, and Aleppo was put under siege. Now, almost every Syrian has someone who has died, someone tortured, someone in prison. My cousin's 13-year old child was killed by a sniper as he played." He expressed appreciation for all those who had supported the evening and related fundraisers.

The concert, organised by the Gormanstown Choir and friends, raised money for the next Atlantic Humanitarian Relief (AHR) mission to the Jordan refugee camps scheduled for this autumn. The twice-a-year missions provide the refugees with medical, paediatric, surgical and dental care, together with humanitarian aid. Operated by AHR since 2010, the volunteers are from America, other parts of Europe and, increasingly in recent years, from Ireland, including Gormanstown Choir leader Dorly O'Sullivan, choir member Dr O'Shea, and his wife, nurse Corrina Hopkins. All volunteers are self-funded.

The music programme included pieces from Mozart, Bach, Lotti, and Lead Belly by the choir, as well as clarinet performances by the Consonance Quartet, and Arthur Greene on the keyboard.