It’s been a while since I put my head around the door of Jennifer Carpenter’s office and asked her if she would stick some of my warbling on the website. The Hand in Hand Service Manager has a soft heart, though (which she tries to keep hidden!); and, after giving a groan and mumbling ‘Not you again’, she is generally amenable enough.
Well, today I can’t help it; because over the weekend I was listening to actor Brendan Gleeson being interviewed on ‘The Marian Finucane Show’ — and not for the first time I found myself thinking about what a pure draught of fresh air the man is.
He had been introduced as an ambassador for the St. Francis Hospice in Raheny, which of course he immediately made light of. Light of the term ‘ambassador’, that is; there is certainly nothing lightweight about the passion and sincerity that pours over the airwaves when this larger-than-life character speaks of the cause he is committed to.
Indeed, he made the remarkable statement that the treatment they showed to his late father actually restored his faith in humanity. And because his words are so clear and his enthusiasm so infectious he is able to talk about ‘the invigoration of the human spirit’ in a way that might sound pretentious coming from someone…well, more pretentious.
The entire interview was worth hearing; but one part in particular jumped clear out of the radio at me, causing me to think of an aspect of Hand in Hand that hadn’t occurred to me before. He said:
“There is absolutely no nonsense about religion or standing on ceremony about anything other than humanity. The idea of looking after people is a gift for everybody involved.”
And it hit me — like a bloody great exclamation mark landing on my head — that in the three years in which I’ve been aware of this truly essential children’s cancer charity , that the question of religion has never come up.
I attend Mass regularly, as it happens; but I’m not aware of anyone here knowing that. Nor, I’m sure, would they care less if they did. Likewise, I have no idea of Jennifer’s, Dee’s, Yulia’s or any of the fundraisers’ and volunteers’ religious persuasions – or even lack thereof.
They are here for one reason – and that is to help to ease the burdens and increase the quality of life of those families who are going through a brutal, draining time. Where those families hail from, what ethnic or social class they inhabit, what colour their skin is and what they do or don’t believe – all of that pales into utter insignificance. What I see these people at Hand in Hand do best is simply this: they make lives that bit easier during an awful period.
Mr. Gleeson also said something else that’s worth noting, when he mentioned that the event he was promoting had continued to be supported despite “the recession and the various scandals about charities”.
I know that Hand in Hand is also grateful for continued public support despite the slimy actions of certain venal chancers (and if you’re wondering whatever happened concerning at least one individual, you’re not alone).
It is when I listen to the likes of Brendan Gleeson, or visit Jennifer and Dee in the Hand in Hand offices, that my own faith in humanity is restored.
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The actor was promoting Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, which takes place nationwide on Thursday. You can learn more at hospicecoffeemorning.ie or by calling 01 679 3188.
Spot on Charley. I too listened to the interview and was touched by the sincerity and simplicity of what he said.
Thanks, Michael. I also loved his take on the kind of ‘celebrity’ who completely loses the run of themselves:
‘Celebrity for its own sake – as a way of validation – is a really sick idea.’
And I had to laugh when he mentioned the greed, fear, insecurity, arrogance and superiority – ‘often in the same person!’