Ryan Tubridy stunned when Glen Hansard recounts how the family was affected by homelessness at an emotional charity gathering on Late Late Show

RTE star Ryan Tubridy was stunned after musician Glen Hansard spoke about how homelessness has affected him personally during an emotional night of performances on the Late Late Show.

On this week’s special episode, a host of Irish musicians took part in heartwarming performances in an attempt to raise much-needed funds for the homeless charity Simon Community.

Among those who performed were Bono and the Edge of US, Steve Garrigan from Kodaline and Glenn Hansard, who spearheaded the fundraising busk that usually takes place on Grafton Street each year.

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the busk was unable to proceed in its usual way.

Speaking on tonight’s show, he said, “We weren’t going to have a busk this year, it’s the 10th anniversary, there wasn’t a busk, so I really want to thank you and everyone who is here for having us here.

“It is a reality, it is part of my own history … there are people in my family who are homeless at this time.

“When I used to volunteer at Simon when I was about 16 years old, I just made cups of tea for people and you sat with people and they talked, you realize that if you stop and talk to someone, there is a story there.

“It’s very easy for us to walk alongside people and say, ‘It looks like your man is an alcoholic.’ It is very dangerous to look at someone and dismiss them. “

Recalling the first time the busk magic was born, he added: “Ten years, it’s hard to believe. It started out very simply, and the fact that every year people come back and we do it, it’s a really good thing.

“I was walking down Grafton Street the day before Christmas Eve 10 years ago, and Simon’s Christmas carols were out, they were shaking the buckets and they said, ‘Oh, how are you Glen, give us a song?’ And the mood I was in … I was like, ‘I can’t now, if I go back to the street later.’

“I went home and felt bad [and said] “I’ll go into town tomorrow and do some street work and make sure they understand it, thinking they may still be on the street.”

“They weren’t on the streets the next day, so I took out my guitar and started playing. Mundy was passing … joined. Damien Dempsey and Imelda [May] they were going on and they did Fairytale Of New York, so we had this spontaneously.

“Around December 20, I’m going to text anyone in my phone book, people find out, it’s like, ‘Everybody come and we’ll figure it out.’

As of now, about € 250,000 has already been raised for the value cause.

Donations can be made online through www.simonbusk.ie.