A Christmas song recorded by a children’s choir in a Co Derry church has been released in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In the Holy Land has been composed by Co Derry harpist Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh.
The song, performed by Conall Ó hEaráin and a choir of children from counties Derry, Donegal and Antrim, was recorded live in St Patrick’s Church, Dungiven.
Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh, who is a sister of the well-known GAA pundit Joe Brolly, said her song reflects how in the birthplace of Jesus, ‘there is no safe shelter for the mother and her babe this Christmas’.
Proceeds of the digital track will be donated to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
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“It is so very poignant that the indiscriminate military operation killing thousands of civilians, particularly women and children, is happening here and now in the Holy Land,” said the Dungiven musician.
“All children are precious and no exceptions to the protections afforded to children under international and humanitarian laws, can ever be justified.”
Sinéad Mac Lochlainn’s granddaughter is one of the 30 children in the choir.
The Co Donegal woman has taken part in a number of delegations to Gaza since 2009, and in 2012 visited the Gaza Strip just after an eight day operation by the IDF.
“Having visited the region, I am aware of the how the people in Gaza are forced to live and it is distressing to see how the situation has descended into a humanitarian catastrophe,” she said.
“My granddaughter wanted to be in the choir and help bring peace. We couldn’t just get on with celebrating Christmas and ignore the desperate plight of the Palestinian people.”
The video of the performance in St Patrick’s Church features the Arabic translation of the song’s lyrics.
The words were translated by Fadl Mustapha, a Palestinian living with his family in Co Donegal.
The song can be purchased for €1 on Bandcamp, and is also available on all the main streaming platforms.
