Buskers hit new fundraising high note for Cork Penny Dinners

It was the shortest day of the year, but singers raising funds for Cork Penny Dinners didn’t cut back their performances on Saturday, with two groups collecting least €17,400 for one of the city’s best-loved charities.

Now in its fourth year, the city centre busking marathon is the brainchild of two Cork singer-songwriters who have raised — not counting this year — €17,000 for Penny Dinners since they began in 2021.

Each year, Whitechurch native Dylan Brickley and Farranree man Korey Power put together an all-day show outside Brown Thomas with their friends from Cork’s music scene.

Last Christmas they raised €8,000, and by 6pm on Saturday they were on track to beat that. This year they were joined at various points in the day by John Spillane, Aaron O’Sullivan, Nichole Desmond, William O’Halloran, Kelvin Long, Andrew Fletcher, Lottie O’Driscoll, and many others.

As the busking marathon finished up, the two men were joined by the Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir, finishing on a high note and belting out a medley of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’, and, as a special request for their friend, broadcaster PJ Coogan, ‘Oh Holy Night’.

Mr Brickley said it had been a fantastic day and he thanked the people of Cork for their support.

“We have high hopes that we might have surpassed last year’s €8,000, which would be brilliant for such a cold day —I can’t feel my feet! But it’s all worth it to raise funds for Cork Penny Dinners,” he said.

Later on Saturday evening, Penny Dinners volunteer co-ordinator Caitríona Twomey said volunteers had counted €7,451 in cash and pledges.

“But there is more money out there to come in, so we reckon the lads have passed last year’s target,” said Ms Twomey.

Separately, the all-female Jingle Belles raised funds for Penny Dinners, singing from 10am to 6pm outside the GPO on Oliver Plunkett St, and Catherine Buckley, substitute conductor, reckoned they surpassed last year’s €10,000 sum.

This Christmas Day, Cork Penny Dinners expect to serve well over 1,500 meals.