Latest news with #MedicalAidforPalestinians
RTÉ News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
What might a modern Irish revival look like in today's world?
Noisín Co-founder Cian O'Connell introduces a new series of cultural events 'creating space for a new wave of expression rooted in tradition but alive to the present'. What does it mean to be Irish today? That's the question at the heart of Nóisin, a collective of Irish creatives based between Amsterdam and Dublin, inspired by the Celtic Revival and Irish Renaissance of the late 1800s. Founded by Mark Toal Lennon and Cian O'Connell, Nóisin began with impromptu music nights - evenings of tunes, stories and spontaneous connection that soon evolved into deeper conversations about identity, heritage and the future of Irish culture. In those early gatherings, a question emerged again and again: what might a modern Irish revival look like in today's world? For us, it's about more than nostalgia - it's about creating space for a new wave of expression rooted in tradition but alive to the present. We've found that Irish identity often reveals itself most vividly from a distance. Living abroad can sharpen your sense of home, giving shape to the stories, sounds and symbols that define us. Nóisin's mission is to connect the diaspora and offer a platform for open, collaborative exchange - reimagining Irishness not as something fixed, but as something evolving. We do this through creative projects, live performances, printed matter and public programmes - all designed to celebrate the richness of Irish heritage while making space for new voices and visions. Our ambition is big, but it's matched by the extraordinary talent we see rising across Ireland. A highlight from last year was our Listener's Club: Christmas Special, held at Hen's Teeth in December in support of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). The night was a heartfelt mix of song, story and solidarity, with performances from Was Man and Áine Smyth on fiddle, followed by an impromptu trad session featuring John Francis Flynn. The evening ended on a high with DJ sets by Cian O'Connell, Mark Toal Lennon and artist-producer Sean Kobina, who reinterpreted traditional Irish music through an electronic lens. It was a proper knees-up - a joyous celebration for a vital cause. Now, we're getting ready to return to Hen's Teeth on Sunday, June 8th, with Rare Auld Times - an afternoon dedicated to Dublin's history and enduring character. Hosted by historian Donal Fallon and soundtracked by musician Phelim Drew, son of the legendary Ronnie Drew, this event will trace the gritty, vibrant soul of the city through story and song. It's a tribute to the people, places and spirit that make Dublin what it is — full of heart, humour and resilience. Listen to Noisín's Here Comes The Spring mix Looking ahead, we're expanding our work by platforming emerging Irish artists, curating new listening parties and publishing collaborative works. We're also investing in visual storytelling and design to explore fresh ways of expressing Irish heritage. Whether through zines, film, or sound, we're excited to keep asking — and answering — that central question: what does Irishness mean today? Our ambition is big, but it's matched by the extraordinary talent we see rising across Ireland. We're always open to collaborations, so if you've got an idea, let's talk. Grá mór,
The National
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Musicians to stage charity concert for Palestine in Paisley
The Paisley for Palestine concert will take place in the Bungalow in Paisley tonight (Monday) with money going towards Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). It starts at 7pm with tickets priced at £10. Performers include Aidan and the Outkkasts, Alexx Munro, Howlin' Radio, Eddie Reid, Kitti, Shout! and The Tennementals. READ MORE: What would a youth mobility scheme between the UK and EU look like? Iona Fyfe, an award-winning Scottish folk singer, will also be performing. 'I'm looking forward to performing tonight to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians,' she said. 'Even now, the situation is drastically worsening by the day. Just this morning, we hear news that Benjamin Netanyahu wants to 'take full control' of the Gaza Strip. It's an abomination.' Fyfe added: 'Artists have the power to lend their voices to keep the genocide and injustice in the forefront of people's minds and to raise vital funds to support the people of Palestine. Admission is available on the door. I urge folks to come out for a night of varied genres and music!' You can also get tickets on the website here. MAP is one of the few charities on the ground in northern Gaza, getting much-needed drugs and equipment to hospitals. The National raised over £50,000 for the charity earlier this year, as well as a further £120,000 during our fundraiser in 2024.
The National
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Musicians to stage charity concert for Palestine in Scottish city
The Paisley for Palestine concert will take place in the Bungalow in Paisley tonight (Monday) on behalf of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). It starts at 7pm with tickets priced at £10. Performers include Aidan and the Outkkasts, Alexx Munro, Howlin' Radio, Eddie Reid, Kitti, Shout! and The Tennementals. READ MORE: What would a youth mobility scheme between the UK and EU look like? Iona Fyfe, an award-winning Scottish folk singer, will also be performing. 'I'm looking forward to performing tonight to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians,' she said. 'Even now, the situation is drastically worsening by the day. Just this morning, we hear news that Benjamin Netanyahu wants to 'take full control' of the Gaza Strip. It's an abomination.' Fyfe added: 'Artists have the power to lend their voices to keep the genocide and injustice in the forefront of people's minds and to raise vital funds to support the people of Palestine. Admission is available on the door. I urge folks to come out for a night of varied genres and music!' You can also get tickets on the website here. MAP is one of the few charities on the ground in northern Gaza, getting much-needed drugs and equipment to hospitals. The National raised over £50,000 for the charity earlier this year, as well as a further £120,000 during our fundraiser in 2024. We'd encourage you to donate what you can.
Belfast Telegraph
10-05-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Nothing prepares you for the devastation': Physiotherapist recalls Gaza horrors
Rachael Moses, from Newcastle, has been visiting the Gaza strip as part of a rehabilitation programme working with local physiotherapists since 2017. The 46-year-old health professional said nothing could have prepared her for the level of devastation she witnessed during her recent visit. Ms Moses who spent a month at Nasser hospital, one of the last functioning hospitals left in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, described daily bombardments and seeing parents carrying their dead children in their arms. 'I kind of thought I was prepared as best I could for what I was about to see in Gaza but I think nothing can really prepare you for the level of devastation,' Ms Moses told the PA news agency. Ms Moses, who travelled to the war zone with a group of British Medical Aid for Palestinians volunteers, described how her bed would shake at night from the drone strikes nearby. 'We entered Gaza in a kind of UN armoured vehicle and we were also in body armour,' she said. 'When we were there, there were bombardments continuously through the night. 'If the drones didn't keep you up, your bed would shake.' Ms Moses, who spent the month assisting local doctors and physiotherapists, said the hospital was bombarded twice by Israeli airstrikes while she was there. 'They hit the second floor and killed a ministry of health official,' she said. 'They also destroyed the men's surgical ward of the hospital and they also killed a journalist at the main entrance at the hospital, where the press tents were.' As one of the last main hospitals in southern Gaza, Nasser hospital is providing care for people with severe burns and trauma injuries, newborn babies, and pregnant women. The hospital is facing several challenges with supplies, including hygiene items, medication and surgical items. Ms Moses described how the hospital had a triage tent outside to help support the wounded as quickly as possible. 'They had a big triage tent outside, so people who got into the hospital had, as best we could guess, a chance of survival,' she said. 'But many would die in the triage area and go straight to the mortuary.' She described seeing parents every morning carrying the bodies of babies wrapped in cloth to the mortuary following the bombings from the night before. 'People are forbidden to drive cars or vehicles or anything that's not co-ordinated,' she said. 'So, they have to walk on foot carrying their loved ones to the morgue or use donkey carts to bring them in.' Ms Moses who was assisting local physiotherapists with their rehabilitation programme said alongside the devastation of so many deceased, there is another layer of trauma for survivors left with disfigurements. 'They're (the local medics) really trying to give hope to these people, often children who have devastating and life-changing injuries, to kind of try and get them the best function they can,' she said. 'There's another layer of devastation as those people that don't die are left with such horrific disfigurement, injuries.' Ms Moses, who hopes to return to Gaza again in a few months, said despite the risk of being in a warzone she said leaving is so much harder than going there. 'You're going back to your very privileged life, your very safe life,' she said. 'These people have nothing, they don't have clean water, they don't have toilets, they don't have enough food.' Alongside the strikes, malnutrition and hunger are becoming prevalent in Gaza. Israel has cut off Gaza from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March, leading to what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war with Hamas. Israel says the blockade is an attempt to pressure the Palestinian militant group to release hostages it took during the October 7 2023 attack that triggered the conflict. Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
Business Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Ben & Jerry's cites investor Peltz's growing influence over parent company Unilever
[NEW YORK] Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's said late on Friday (May 2) that billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, who is on its parent company Unilever's board, has increased his influence over the consumer goods conglomerate, including on political issues. Unilever and the unit have been locked in a bitter legal dispute since last year over allegations that the parent is muzzling it, hurting its ability to carry out its social mission. The Vermont-based frozen dessert manufacturer made the new claims in response to Unilever's attempts last week to have the case thrown out. In a court filing, Ben & Jerry's said Unilever's edits to its social media posts, a key issue in its lawsuit against the London-based company, 'mirror the political views of Mr Peltz,' who backed US President Donald Trump in his election campaign last year. His increasing influence could signal broader change at Unilever, a corporate leader in environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies that Trump opposes. The maker of Cherry Garcia and other flavors was founded by counterculture members Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, though the two are no longer involved in day-to-day operations. The company claimed that Unilever has censored it on topics ranging from Trump's immigration policies to the war in Gaza. Ben & Jerry's said in the filing that Unilever threatened to eliminate its independent board and sue its members individually if it did not withdraw its proposal that the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians receive donations from the corporate parent. Unilever said the charity was unapologetically anti-Israel and that a donation to it could threaten Unilever and Ben & Jerry's with possible sanctions, according to the filing. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The filing states that Unilever relented on its position after its assessment of Medical Aid for Palestinians was discredited through various actions, including the head of the charity, Baroness Patricia Morris, saying its position was 'unreasonable and unconscionable'. Ben & Jerry's also said Unilever tasked one of its executives with persuading the company's founders to take its side in the dispute. Unilever, Ben & Jerry's, Peltz and Medical Aid for Palestinians did not immediately return a request for comment. Unilever has been saying its brands such as Ben & Jerry's are on a global mission to do good. Unilever's ice cream business, including Ben & Jerry's, is set to operate on a standalone basis starting Jul 1. REUTERS
