Top musicians to headline Buncrana concert for disadvantaged Uganda school

Some of Ireland’s best-known singers and musicians will perform at a Music for Hope concert in Buncrana to raise funds for a Ugandan school that educates children living in one of the country’s largest slums.

Mike Hanrahan of Stockton’s Wing, Liam Ó Maonlaí of Hothouse Flowers, Gino Lupari and Kevin Doherty of Four Men and a Dog, The Henry Girls, the band 9 Hazel Trees and renowned Altan fiddle player Ciaran Tourish are among the stars who will perform at the concert in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana, with proceeds going to the Hands for Hope School located beside Namuwongo slum in Kampala.

The concert, which takes place on Sunday, February 16, at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel from 4pm is being co-organised by Buncrana native and Irish musician, songwriter, and producer, John Cutliffe. Based in Kampala for the last two years, Cutliffe has worked in Nashville, London, and Ireland, and has collaborated with industry legends. Tickets are on sale through EventBrite Music for Hope - A Music Extravaganza in aid of Hands for Hope.

The idea for Music for Hope came about in 2023 when Irish band 9 Hazel Trees travelled to Uganda at the invitation of John Cutliffe and the Irish Society to perform at the annual St Patrick’s Ball.

During the visit, the band toured the Hands for Hope School and met its founder, Joe Cummiskey. They also visited the Namuwongo slum where the students live and witnessed the dire conditions first-hand—open sewers, lack of sanitation, and extreme poverty.

Following their return to Ireland, the band kept close ties with the school with Des McGonigle doing weekly tin whistle lessons for the children via Zoom. In addition, band member Louise Doherty, along with friends, organised fundraising events for the school. This year, they decided to take their efforts further by collaborating with Louise’s Tatter Jack’s Tours and John Cutliffe to create the “Music for Hope” concert.

“Hands for Hope School was founded to provide free education, meals and basic healthcare to children living in Namuwongo. The school is a lifeline for children, offering them a chance to break free from the cycle of poverty and build brighter futures,” said John Cutliffe.

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“The visit to the school and the slum deeply moved the band. They were struck by the stark contrast between the hardship faced daily by the children in the slum but the joy, smiles, and hope radiating from those lucky enough to go to the Hands for Hope School.

“There is a lot of excitement about the concert, and we hope it is a sellout and that lots of money is raised to help Hands for Hope reach more children in need. And I am really looking forward to performing myself with this cast of talented musicians.”