Volunte in Dublin.RDS
This year marks the centenary of the first Christmas Day Dinner for those in need, hosted by the Knights of St. Columbanus. The first dinner, in 1924, was provided to 500 guests, mostly homeless men, in Dublin’s Mansion House. This year the RDS event will welcome over 5,500 guests.
300 volunteers will dedicate part of their Christmas Day to serving a full traditional Christmas dinner to up to 500 guests at the RDS and distribute a further 5,000 dinners and up to 2,500 festive gift bags to people isolated in their own homes, unable to attend an organised event, and perhaps without family present.
The Knights of St. Columbanus will provide a free shuttle bus service for guests to and from the RDS on Christmas Day, with pick-up points in central Dublin, including Clery’s Clock on O’Connell Street, the Four Courts, and the Mansion House.
Many charitable organizations operate on Christmas Day with limited resources, leaving people in need around Dublin City with few places to turn on this important day.
Hosting a Christmas Day Dinner offers those in need a place to gather and receive support, while also giving these amazing organizations the opportunity to take a well-deserved day off after working tirelessly throughout the year.
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The Knights of St. Columbanus has partnered with organizations such as SVP, Alone, Simon, the HSE, Dublin City Council, Age Action Ireland, and other groups who will bring meals and festive gift bags to people in their own homes or shelters.
Guests in attendance at the RDS will receive a warm welcome and light refreshments on arrival before being served a three-course meal of soup, traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, ham and all the trimmings, and Christmas pudding. The festivities will include entertainment in a warm and spiritual atmosphere.
Trevor Macnamara, Chair of the Christmas Day Dinner Organising Committee, expressed heartfelt gratitude, stating: “I want to sincerely thank the RDS management for generously offering the venue to make this charitable event possible.
Furthermore, Mr. Macnamara added, "My appreciation extends to all the different generations of volunteers who have been involved over the past 100 years—those working in the kitchen, managing parking, escorting guests to their meals, as well as the drivers and performers who make this event special, and to those who are no longer with us but have left a remarkable legacy for the event."
Anyone in need of support is warmly invited to join us at the RDS by taking the free bus from Dublin city center—no tickets or booking are required—to share in this special Christmas Day event. Transportation, meals, and drinks are all provided completely free of charge.
However, rising costs are challenging our ability to maintain the high standards we are committed to upholding. With your support, we can continue providing a warm, free meal to anyone in need on this most special day.
To donate to the costs of the Christmas Day Dinner, visit iDonate here.
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