The cover of Noel's new song Two Pay Cheques Away.
Noel Sweeney is a man with a conscience this Christmas.
The well-known local driving instructor is bidding to raise €10,000 for NW Simon Community with a deeply poignant new song and video.
And the story behind that song is as touching as the words which Noel has put down on paper.
In the autumn of 2014, during a driving lesson in Dublin, Noel passed a homeless man begging with a coffee cup on a Bridge in Dublin.
He made a comment to his driving pupil about the misfortune of the man.
The pupil’s response was "Don't you know Noel; we’re all only Two Pay Cheques Away from where that man is".
This comment struck a chord with Noel and inspired him to write the song "Two Pay Cheques Away". The song plots the demise of a relatively successful family man to homelessness over a very short period of time.
Later, Noel met with Collette Ferguson from the North West Simon Community and was surprised by her assertion that homelessness was not an exclusively large-city problem.
The North West Simon Community manages over 40 premises in Letterkenny to support the homeless under very challenging financial conditions. They can support up to 60 people at any one time, either in a North West Simon Community property, or in their own homes.
Collette said "More and more people in the North West are today turning to North West Simon Community for help and support. The Simon Community prevents over 185 people a year throughout the North West from becoming homeless. Unfortunately, 2016 will be our most challenging year yet- as we try to prevent the kind of scenes we see every day on the streets of Dublin".
Noel said "This Christmas, I want to raise some awareness and much needed money for the North West Simon Community. I have set a target of €10,000. This money will help to develop their Outreach Service across Co. Donegal.
"This service actively prevents vulnerable people and families from becoming homeless. With the correct intervention at the correct time and with the correct support, the Simon Community staff can support people in difficult situations and prevent another person becoming homeless."
Businesses can support Noel Sweeney’s campaign by purchasing the "Two Pay cheques Away" CD/DVD gift for each of their employees this Christmas.
The CD/DVD gift includes the music video and a customised gift card with the business name and the employee’s name. At a cost of only €8 per employee, Noel will deliver this CD/DVD gift to each business before Christmas.
Alternatively, persons can donate €2 to this worthy cause by texting the word PREVENT to 50300 or buy the CD directly from the North West Simon Community, the Swilly Group or other local outlets. The song is also available to download on iTunes.
The song and the accompanying video have been attracting a lot of attention on social media over the last week. Noel has put the song up on YouTube and has also set up a Facebook page and a Twitter Account entitled “Two Pay Cheques Away” as part of the campaign.
The official launch of the song and campaign will take place in the Silver Tassie Hotel on Wednesday 9th December 2015 at 8pm.
Everyone is welcome to come along and support Noel and the NW Simon Community.