Berliner Tageblatt - Dublin Band Aslan Headlines Our Lady’s Hospice Light Up A Life Ceremony

Dublin band Aslan has been confirmed as the guest of honour for Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services’ (OLH&CS) annual Light Up A Life Remembrance Ceremony. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 6, at Harold’s Cross Hospice, beginning at 4:15 pm.

The ceremony serves as a significant fundraising opportunity for the hospice network, which provides care across south Dublin and Wicklow. OLH&CS reports that it must raise at least €5.5 million annually to sustain its operations. The organization supported 5,331 patients and their families in 2025, delivering over 16,200 specialist palliative homecare visits last year. Additional services included respite care for 139 patients with dementia and 569 life-enhancing infusions through the Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Disease Unit.

Mary Flanagan, chief executive officer of OLH&CS, emphasized the communal nature of the event. "Our annual Light Up A Life event brings the whole hospice community together," Flanagan said. She noted that the gathering unites patients, residents, families, staff, volunteers, and neighbours to pause and celebrate the memory of loved ones during the festive season. By sponsoring a light, attendees honour their deceased relatives while contributing to the support of patients at the hospice’s three sites in Harold’s Cross, Blackrock, and Wicklow, as well as in the community.

The program will feature performances from the Army No. 1 Band, the Palestrina Boys Choir, and the mixed-voice community choir Ceol Aoine. FM radio presenter Ian Dempsey returns as the event master of ceremonies, with Aslan serving as the headlining act.

Aslan’s involvement carries personal significance for several band members. Drummer Alan Downey’s uncle, Ben, died at Harold’s Cross Hospice in 2001. Lead singer Lee Tomkins’ father, Eddie, received community palliative care before passing away peacefully at home earlier this year. Guitarist Billy McGuinness stated that the band is honoured to headline an occasion that brings people together to remember loved ones and support the hospice’s vital work.

"For Aslan, being part of Light up a Life is a meaningful opportunity to stand alongside the hospice community and the families who have been touched by its care," McGuinness said. "We are helping to create a moment of remembrance, hope and togetherness."

The event has historically drawn large crowds, with attendance reaching up to 10,000 people in previous years. Attendees watch as the Light Up A Life Christmas tree is illuminated with thousands of lights sponsored in memory of those who have died.

The ceremony is free to attend and open to the public. However, there will be no parking available on the hospice grounds; the location is accessible via public transport. Names of individuals remembered through sponsored lights will be displayed online. Those wishing to sponsor a light or purchase festive decorations, cards, and pins can visit www.lightupalife.ie. Companies interested in supporting the event as a Leading Light for Hospice may donate through www.lightupalife.ie/companysupport.

N.Fournier--BTB