Christmas, Ireland

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has published safer giving advice aimed at assisting the public in making informed choices about charitable donations and giving this Christmas.

The first charity single created via Twitter, #twitterxmassingle, was launched in Dublin this week and went straight to number 4 in the Irish iTunes chart, according to the Irish Independent.

As the Society of Vincent de Paul (SVP) launched its annual appeal coming up to Christmas it has revealed that its online donations are down 30% on the previous year.

A radio station specifically set up to raise money at Christmas has raised €70,000 for two Irish homelessness charities, according to a report in the Sunday Business Post.

Ryanair's annual charity calendar has again received criticism for its content which the company has described ‘as the hottest yet.’

A group of radio fans are once again establishing a radio station to broadcast in the run-up to Christmas to raise funds for homelessness charity, the Simon Community.

‘Black santas’ in Belfast and Dublin have gone on the street to collect money for charity during the Christmas period.

The trend towards charities soliciting donations through gifts for specific items for the Third World is increasing in Ireland this Christmas with more emphasis on corporate involvement. Other local Irish charities are also trying to get in on the act.