Anne Drumm, Fiona Guiheen and Brenda Byrne with committee members of Clare IPSC (Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign).
A recent event run by the Ennis Yoga Studio to raise funds for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), exceeded expectations by collecting €3,400.
The night itself was the brain child of Fiona Guiheen, Anne Drumm, Brenda Byrne & Fiona Brewer. The Ennis Yoga Studio provided the perfect location for the evening to take place.
Fiona explained that they all felt they had to do something, “Firstly it was about emotionally supporting each other through the trauma of the suffering we were witnessing. Then we wanted to send healing and love to Gaza for the highest intention for peace and humanity to prevail.”
“I attend the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign march and rally every Saturday from 11am in the height. So, I put the idea to members of Clare IPSC and they were very helpful and supportive. They particularly helped with directing the money to a reputable charity, and with publicity.”
Fiona continued, “There were a couple of different aspects to the evening. We invited people to bring a candle for a candle lit altar. We followed the candle ceremony with song and music with Yvonne Casey and myself, followed by a heart opening cocao ceremony with Fiona Brewer. We sent reiki to Gaza and we bathed in sound and deep breath through gentle touch, relaxation and restorative yoga. Finally, I concluded the evening with a deep healing sound ceremony. We also shared delicious food supplied for free by Siobhan from Sweet and Green Café.”
“We are all mothers,” Brenda Byrne, the owner of the studio told us. “So we were especially affected by seeing the bodies of children being pulled from the rubble day after day. We just had to help, and everyone we spoke to was very happy to donate. The capacity of the studio is 24, so we had a full house and a long waiting list. We are planning to do something bigger in the near future.”
“The night itself was donation based”, Anne Drumm added, “we are so grateful to those who attended on the night and to those who donated online so, so generously. We were blown away with the support of our community, friends & Families. The evening was a the success and it was thanks to the generosity of time and talent from Yvonne Casey and Caroline Rouine too.”
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign are also fundraising for the PCRF with a screening of the award-winning film GAZA. Entry to the screening in the West County Hotel at 7.30 on Thursday February 1st is free, though donations to the PCRF will be collected on the night. Donations can also be made through the Clare IPSC Facebook page.
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund provides free medical care to children who do not have access to the care they need due to the lsraeli assault on Gaza. They operate a wide variety of programmes that range from meeting the monthly medical needs of children with chronic conditions, to bringing volunteer surgical teams to the Middle East to perform life-changing and life-saving procedures and train local medical staff to creating the first paediatric cancer department in Palestine. Their urgent food parcel initiative, implemented by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, has brought crucial assistance to thousands of children and Gazan families displaced by the lsraeli bombardment. These families, forced from their homes due to the unrelenting onslaught, have received essential food supplies for their children and families through this vital project.
