Cork duo release song to raise awareness about homelessness at Christmas

CORK musicians Richard T. Cooke and MuddyLee have come together to create a Christmas song in a bid to raise awareness about homelessness across Irish cities.

The emotive song, written and composed by historian Richard T. Cooke and performed by MuddyLee, paints a picture of the reality of homelessness and includes backgrounds sounds from shoppers on Oliver Plunkett Street.

The song describes homelessness as a situation that anyone can find themselves in and it is based on the real experiences of a homeless man in Cork who Richard T. Cooke has befriended.

The song, 'Christmas is Coming and I’m Feeling Cold’, looks at the typical Christmas traditions such as decorating the Christmas tree and contrasts the experiences with the reality of what it means to be sleeping rough, particularly during cold, winter nights.

The song aims to highlight the issues of homelessness.

“Unfortunately, many many people fall on hard times and find it difficult to get back to the place where they were with their family. Mental illness can strike at anyone’s door and at any time and when it does, you have to have people with kind hearts who will reach out with a supportive life line,” said Richard T. Cooke.

The inspiration for the song came from the experiences of the homeless in Cork and by writing a song about the issues that can often cause people to have to sleep on the streets, Mr Cooke hopes to make people more aware of the struggles they may have faced.

“There are many charities in this friendly city of ours with wonderful people waiting to warmly welcome anyone who has fallen on hard times with a smiling face and a kind word.

"This supportive helping hand helps to blot out some of the darkness and ease the mental torment and confusion that they are suffering,” said Mr Cooke.

“This Christmas spare a thought for them [the homeless] because it could happen to anyone,” he added.

'Christmas is Coming and I'm Feeling Cold' is available now on YouTube.