Upcoming Athlone concert for Cambodian charity
Some top Irish traditional music acts will perform at a concert in Athlone's Dean Crowe Theatre this October in support of a charity seeking to improve the lives of children in Cambodia.
Together We Can is the title of the concert, which will be held on Saturday, October 11, at 8pm, and will feature performances by the renowned Irish trad group Shaskeen, Athlone's Trish Reilly, music trio Mega Trad, and the Ballinasloe-based Sarah Clogher Dancers.
The concert is being organised by Ballinasloe resident Edward (Eamon) Conway, who has been fundraising to help better the lives of young people in Cambodia for a number of years now.
Edward explained that the proceeds from the event will go to 'Build Your Future Today', a charity which aims to "break the cycle of poverty in Cambodia by empowering its people with the knowledge and economic tools to address the issues they face".
A concert organised by Edward in Ballinasloe last November raised a sum of €4,800, which went towards the purchase of school uniforms, study materials and hygiene supplies for children in rural schools in Cambodia's Siem Reap Province.
In March and April of this year, Edward travelled to the schools in question to see where the money raised was being spent. He said that, at one of the rural schools, children as young as six would have to walk in their bare feet more than six kilometres in blazing heat and on hard ground in order to get to school.
The local resident's association with Cambodia can be traced back many years to when he first visited the country as a tourist. His fundraising to date has helped support the provision of water wells, a wheelchair, and several laptops. He also helped facilitate the building of a three-classroom school, Aspire School in Siem Reap, which is still going strong.
"Please get your tickets to the concert in the Athlone this October to hear some great music and help the children of Cambodia," he said.
Tickets to the 'Together We Can' concert, priced €25 / €20 are available now from deancrowetheatre.com and Edward can be contacted at 086 8972776.