Beirut & Galway : A tale of two cities whose hearts beat today as one in empathy and solidarity.

"Blood Drenched Children". "We Are Lost".

Aoibheann McNamara, proprietor of the Ard Bia restaurant in Quay Street and Seamus Sheridan, head honcho of Sheridan's Cheesemongers in Church Yard Street organised a collection today at the farmers’ market in Church Yard St in order to assist the beleaguered Lebanese who run the slow food market in Beirut - the moneys raised will be divided among the various families struggling to survive in their city and country viciously wasted by the Israelis.

Judging from the evidence of my eyes the collection was handsome.

Aoibheann ; “saddened constantly as dear friends email me from Beirut unable to evacuate as they are not ‘precious foreigners’. They email images of blood drenched children, they email lines like ‘we are lost,’’’ clearly, was not prepared to stand idly by wringing her hands and sobbing crocodile tears but did something. She liased with Seamus and today’s pristine empathy was the result – Seamus is the noted anti-war activist who, prior to the criminal attack on Iraq, closed his shop in order to march in a Galway Alliance Against War organised demonstration along with his staff, all clad in their white work gear. In a 24th August article in the Galway Advertiser (see link) she vowed to return to Beirut along with Seamus “to personally give the money to Kamel Mouzawak (the head of Slow Food Lebanon who started and heads the first farmers’ market there) to distribute to the families in most need”.

Seamus in his recently opened docklands pub.

from L to R; Mairead Fitzpatrick, the mighty Aoibheann herself and Jessica Murphy in Ard Bia.

Uwe Tohak on left with Fergal of Vesuwave; a band into world music.

Collette and Daniel.