Kildare Town Community School raised over €3k for charity

On Monday, February 5, Kildare Town Community School received a cheque for €3,656 following the enormous success of their Christmas concert with world-class artists The Celtic Tenors.

Supporting the Society of Missionary Children and the Acorn Centre, a purpose-built special needs unit for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, the school choir sang its heart out in St Brigid’s Parish Church on December 21 alongside the Celtic Tenors — Matthew Gilsenan, Daryl Simpson, and James Nelson.

Under the direction of music teacher, Ms Laura Kavanagh, the choir and musicians performed a miscellany of Christmas carols and songs to an audience of over 400.

They helped to raise vial funds for projects run by Fr Jude Raj Fernando, who looks after marginalised and street children near St Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, Sri Lanka.

Through their spirit of generosity, the students and Tenors ensured that Fr Jude could tend to the needs of more than 2,000 children over the Christmas season. The remaining funds raised from the concert will purchase specialised equipment to meet the specific needs of the students in the Acorn Centre.

Missions work

Kildare Town Community School has a long-standing tradition of supporting overseas mission and in July this year a group of 21 students andfive teachers will travel to a small village in East Kenya called Kwakakulu to help Irish Spiritan,and Kildare Town native, Fr John Mahon, to build a family home.

Participating students and teachers need to raise €2,000 each to cover their own costs of travel and accommodation, and to purchase the building materials needed for the family home.

World Missions Ireland, which includes the Society of Missionary Children, will sponsor the cost of a student taking part in this immersion programme.

To find out more visit www.wmi.ie