Cashel Blue founder uses frankincense to 'scent' an important message

A Tipperary business owner is raising awareness of the hunger crisis raging in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya by hanging a bag of frankincense on his Christmas tree this festive season.

Louis Grubb, founder of the Cashel Blue farmhouse cheese brand, hopes his gesture of solidarity will also encourage people to give a gift this Christmas to support the work of Christian Aid Ireland as they respond to the severe drought in the Horn of Africa where more than 23 million people are short of food after five failed rainy seasons.

Louis has been a generous supporter of Christian Aid Ireland for many years.

Frankincense is a fragrant resin obtained from trees native to the Horn of Africa and is famous as one of the gifts given to the baby Jesus by the three wise men.

Aid agencies are warning that the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 40 years has created conditions that are pushing millions close to famine in the hardest-hit regions.

People are being forced to take desperate measures to survive in the face of extreme hunger as the drought causes failed harvests and livestock deaths as well as water shortages.

The severe conditions are being made worse by the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine which has caused food prices to rise and badly impacted grain exports to the region.

Working through local partners, Christian Aid is responding in Ethiopia and Kenya, helping over 300,000 people by repairing wells, handing out water purification kits, providing cash support, trucking water to drought-affected communities as well as providing fodder and veterinary medicine to keep valuable livestock alive.

In northern Kenya, Christian Aid is being supported by Irish Aid to help reach even more families impacted by the drought.

Christian Aid Ireland Chief Executive, Rosamond Bennett, thanked Louis for raising awareness of the crisis. Rosamond travelled to the region in the summer to see for herself the hardship caused by the drought.

She said: “In northern Kenya, we drove over several bridges but none of the rivers had any water. They were just wide, empty tracts of sand and dust.

“The landscape was littered with carcasses. Weakened by hunger and thirst, the animals had died where they stood - goats and cattle mainly but even the camels, the ships of the desert, had succumbed to this harshest of droughts.”

Rosamond continued: “I met a woman farmer we’ve been supporting who told me that her harvest had been badly affected by the drought. She showed me her brown, shrivelled vegetables.

“Also, all her cattle have died so she has no meat or milk to sell.”

In 1984, Louis and his wife Jane founded the Cashel Blue cheese brand on their farm near Fethard.

To support Christian Aid’s work this Christmas, please visit caid.ie/ChristmasDonate