WATCH: Cork singer releases Christmas song depicting harsh reality of homelessness

THREE-TIME Grammy nominated songwriter Myles Gaffney has released a touching Christmas song titled Bring Me a Home For Christmas.

The Cork-based singer-songwriter’s latest release tells the story of the true and harsh reality of child homelessness in Ireland today.

Myles told : “A few years ago I was asked if could I write a Christmas song to which I replied ‘I suppose I could if I had the right storyline’.

“When I started writing the song I had the film Home Alone in mind, how a boy named Kevin misses his family at Christmas, and I was tinkering with the idea around many Irish boys and girls who have emigrated to far-off shores and long to be at home for Christmas”.

The song stalled as he “wasn’t feeling the flow and the lyrics” so he put it away in his folder, until last April when he came across a YouTube video of Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou Mc Donald reading out a letter in the Dáil.

“This letter to my surprise and amazement was written by a child named Kevin, and it stated the he was living in a single hotel room with his family and could Santa Claus bring him a home for Christmas — that was the inspiration I needed,” Myles said.

“Being an Irish folk singer I always sing for the underdog and it’s a folk singer’s job to write and sing the songs of topics that are not supposed to be sang about,” he continued, noting that homelessness is a huge problem in modern Ireland.

The Cork singer said: “There is no Irish child or any child for that matter that should be forced to live in hotels, emergency accommodation or worse case on the street.

“I admired young Kevin for his bravery in writing his letter to the Dáil as he highlighted exactly what it’s like on a daily basis for now thousands of children in Ireland without a home.

“I’m glad that, through my music and writing, I can help highlight the current situation in Ireland for my fellow country people who mean so much to me.”

Myles’ song can be downloaded from Bandcamp, and he plays Cobh Ramblers Lounge on Friday December 22 with tickets available from Eventbrite and Cobh Ramblers Lounge.