Mickey Joe Harte records Christmas song for homeless charity, Peter McVerry Trust

Record numbers of people are homeless this Christmas.

Mickey Joe Harte has recorded a Christmas charity single for the Peter McVerry Trust. The You're A Star winner and fellow Donegal singer-songwriter Rory Gallagher are releasing their stripped-down cover of Yazoo’s 'Only You' in a bid to raise much needed funds for the homeless charity. New figures show that over 10,500 people were homeless across the country in October. This number includes 3,826 children. Harte says that he and Gallagher decided to record the song to encourage people to donate to the charity ahead of the festive season. “The homeless situation in Ireland has touched so many people," he says. "We felt the sentiment of the song was fitting for a Christmas release in aid of the Peter McVerry Trust." “We are delighted to be able to do this and would also appeal to people to donate directly to the Trust." This comes after The Irish Times published Fr McVerry's letter to the editor yesterday, where he detailed witnessing multiple court proceedings brought against homeless people.

"Sir, – I attended court with a young homeless boy who had been charged with theft of a bottle of orange, value €1," he wrote.

"Another homeless man was charged with theft of four bars of chocolate, value €3 (...)

"A TD, on his way to, or from, his full-time, very well paid job in Brussels, stops by at Dáil Éireann to sign in, so that he can collect his full €51,600 expenses for his attendance in the Dáil." Harte and Gallagher's single, 'Only You' is released this Friday, 6 December. All proceeds go directly to the Peter McVerry Trust.