Canon Sean Rogan, Fr Michael Sheehan PP, and parishioners of Drumbo and Carryduff present David O'Hare of Trocaire with a check for €20000 for work in Sudan. At 86 years old, Canon Sean Rogan has once again proven that music can move hearts.
The retired priest from the parish of Drumbo and Carryduff recently hosted an evening of music and song to raise funds for people affected by the ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza and Sudan. What began as a modest parish event has blossomed into an extraordinary outpouring of generosity, raising over £34,000—equivalent to about €40,000.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Canon Rogan said. “I sat at the piano for an hour or an hour and a half. And I thought maybe we would raise £1,000. But when we counted it after the concert it was £10,000. Then it was on the website and people outside the parish started supporting, and now we’ve reached over £34,000.”
The money will be divided evenly, with €20,000 going to Sudan via Trócaire, and the other €20,000 being sent to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the benefit of Gaza.
“Even if they can’t use it now, there will come a time, please God, when the conflicts will be over,” he said. “Then the money can go to rebuilding. In that time they will need schools and hospitals and all sorts of help.”
The evening itself featured a wide variety of music, with Canon Rogan joking that he played “Catholic music – in the sense of universal.” His set ranged from hymns and traditional Irish tunes to country and western, Elvis Presley, and even a bit of tango.
The idea for the evening came from his earlier efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he livestreamed piano concerts to boost morale and raise money for the NHS.
A lifelong musician, Canon Rogan once played piano with the showbands in his youth. Now, in his ninth decade, he continues to use his talents in service of others.
Reflecting on the generosity shown by his parish and the wider community, Canon Rogan was visibly moved. “It has been an extraordinary manifestation of generosity,” he said.
He also shared a story from Irish history that inspired his fundraising efforts. “During the Great Famine, the Ottoman Sultan sent £1,000—something like a million dollars today—along with three shipfuls of food to help the Irish people. Now it’s our turn to help our brothers and sisters. Like what Paul told the Greeks—we are all children of God. This is why we extend our generosity.”