On Saturday night, more than 400 past and present inter-county GAA players slept on the streets of the country in solidarity with those who do not have a place to call home.
Under the banner 'Gaelic Voices For Change' players such as Brendan Maher, Noel Connors, Valerie Mulcahy, Gemma Begley, Alan O'Mara, Eamon Fennell, Michael Darragh MacAuley, Sinead Finnegan and Podge Collins banded together to support some of the most vulnerable people in society.
Between 6pm on Saturday evening and 6am on Sunday morning, various locations around the country saw individuals lay down in their sleeping bags on a cold and wet night. Players with New York GAA also took part in the event.
The group began meeting more than two months ago with the aim of making a difference regarding issues such as mental health, gambling, racism and homelessness.
Donations to the cause can be made at GaelicVoicesForChange.com. More than €175,000 has raised so far with all funds going to homeless charities including the Peter McVerry Trust, the Simon Communities, Focus Ireland and the Capuchin Day Centre.
Dublin
Under the arches of history at the GPO #SolidaritySleepOut @GaelicVoices4Ch pic.twitter.com/76ugMr4Klr
— EamonFennell (@EamonFennell) December 17, 2017
Thanks to everyone who donated online or on the streets and helped raise awareness of the #homelessness crisis. Now that the @GaelicVoices4Ch #SolidaritySleepout has finished some of us get to go home to a bed, others still lay out.. things must change! #GAAFAMILY pic.twitter.com/TeNVgFlxLt
— Kevin Nolan (@KevinNolan7) December 17, 2017
Cork
#SolidaritySleepout almost complete with 2 hrs to go. Thanks for all the generosity. It’s been a humbling experience pic.twitter.com/xMsJpHSSR8
— Valerie Mulcahy (@valeriemulcahy) December 17, 2017
Status update... tired & cold. Not looking forward to the pubs & clubs of Cork closing. One of the nightly struggles of the hundreds of homeless sleeping rough. #Solidaritysleepout @GaelicVoices4Ch
— Paul Geaney (@Geaney15) December 17, 2017
Clare
@ClareSenHurlers @cleary_conor Colm Galvin, @davyfitz12 and @Oob2000 taking part in the nationwide homeless #SolidaritySleepout in aid of @GaelicVoices4Ch. The team and management have raised €17,500 for charity so far https://t.co/lEA6IiB3fM. Photo c/o @LaurenGuilfoyle pic.twitter.com/ncOC68AWQ5
— Clare Senior Hurlers (@ClareSenHurlers) December 16, 2017
After sleeping out all night on the streets of Limerick the Clare ladies football team are going to training at 9am this morning. Real role models. #SolidaritySleepout
— Gaelic Voices For Change (@GaelicVoices4Ch) December 17, 2017
Sligo
Solidarity with all doing tonights #SolidaritySleepout in #Sligo ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0csW44lFPs
— Gaelic Voices For Change (@GaelicVoices4Ch) December 16, 2017
Limerick
The community of the GAA and what it needs to always stand for @GaelicVoices4Ch pic.twitter.com/rtVlYhfOdv
— Timmy Hammersley (@TimmyHammersley) December 16, 2017
Carlow
#gaelicvoicesforchange here in @Carlow_GAA. It’s great to donate for such a worthy cause. #endhomelessness pic.twitter.com/M2roj1mws5
— Turlough O Brien (@TurloughCarlow) December 16, 2017
Belfast
Very best of luck to all our #AntrimPlayers @GaelicVoices4Ch holding their #SolidaritySleepout tonight in Belfast pic.twitter.com/DQPA4XQRqb
— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) December 16, 2017
New York
@GaelicVoices4Ch @NewYorkGAA @keith13scally thanks Joan henchy secretary of New York Gaa for joining the cause. #SolidaritySleepOut @EamonFennell pic.twitter.com/4WiqLETlp2
— Ciaran Nudie Hughes (@CiaranHughes) December 17, 2017
