Amazing Grace Festival to raise awareness of homelessness

Now in its fourth year, the Buncrana festival will once again provide a wide range of inspiring and fun events for all ages, with special guests the High Hopes Choir (as seen on TV) and homelessness campaigner, Fr. Peter McVerry.

The community festival celebrates the anniversary of John Newton’s arrival in Lough Swilly on 8th April 1748 at the most pivotal moment in his life. Transformed by God’s “Amazing Grace”, John Newton went on to become a clergyman and hymn writer and campaigned with William Wilberforce for an end to the Slave Trade.

With history, music, dance, art, exhibitions, family fun, modern-day faith stories, walks and talks, the festival - which is run entirely by volunteers - truly offers something for everyone.

This year’s theme is ‘Home’, taken from the line in the song “…and grace will lead me home”. The

festival will explore what ‘home’ means to each one of us and highlight the issue of homeless, raising much-needed funds for homeless charities North West Simon Community, Focus Ireland and the Peter Mc Verry Trust as well as the Magoso School and Orphanage in Kenya.

Among the special guests at this year’s festival are the inspirational High Hopes Choir (as seen on RTE TV) and outspoken homelessness campaigner Fr. Peter Mc Verry, who will deliver this year’s John Newton Lecture.

A family fun street festival will kick off the programme of events on Saturday 2nd and there will be a host of other events taking place right throughout the festival. Most events are FREE with opportunities to donate to the various charities. Tickets for the High Hopes Concert are priced €10 and are now on sale at Mac’s Bookshop, the Lily Rose café and The Exchange. Visit www.amazinggrace.ie