Venue: Levis Ballydehob:
When: Friday, 28th of November at 8pm, Leah Sohotra and Martin Leahy will play a special double bill at Levis Corner House in Ballydehob in a fundraiser for NASC GAZA (see chuffed.org, project 135424) as part of West Cork for Gaza.
Donations on the door.
Leah Sohotra is an amazing singer and brilliant songwriter who studied jazz vocals in Vermont and now lives in Cork City.
Exploring themes of decolonization, collective trauma, and grief through a deep connection with nature and its role in folklore, she weaves an ecofeminist narrative of resilience with a focus on female agency.
Leah Sohotra’s singles air on RTÉ and BBC Radio and many other stations, nationally and internationally, and her album Breaded Crickets received great reviews. Paul Sexton, in PROG magazine, compared her work to that of Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens, which she feels extremely humbled by: “…enigmatic shifts in gear move between a strumming stomp and a pretty harp and string-laden interludes. Single and album are decorated by her unusual, gospel-Americana tones, reminiscent of that genre’s Rhiannon Giddens.”
Martin Leahy is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter who has worked with some of Ireland’s greatest musicians. In recent years, he’s gained national and international attention for his songwriting and activism, particularly his song “Everyone Should Have A Home”, which has become a rallying cry for housing justice.
“The guy who gave the crisis a soundtrack”
The Guardian
He also has written a number of songs in solidarity with the people of Palestine and performs weekly at the Cork City protests. His song “Palestine” has been shared multiple times including by Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and by the activist and musician Lowkey.
Both Leah Sohotra and Martin Leahy can be found on Bandcamp.
Venue: An Sanctóir Fundraising Art Auction & Exhibition in Support of An Sanctóir & Gazan Charity, Takeru Team
Schedule of events:
Saturday 29th November, 11am-5pm: Exhibition Preview and Special Opening
Plus live music by Lea Miklody & Henning Fuchs, refreshments provide 2-5pm
Sunday 30th November, 2pm-5pm:
Live Art Auction by auctioneer Megan Clancy of Core Creative (Bantry).
Plus live music by ‘Nastaran‘ with ancient and sophisticated classical and folk music from India and Afghanistan, refreshments provided 🍷, 1-5pm
For the Art exhibition and Auction on 29th/30th November in An Sanctóir’s unique octagonal hall in Ballydehob we are inviting all local and international artists (working in any medium) to submit pieces of art.
The artists will be paid a percentage of the selling price and set the reserve price for the work. Any additional funds will be shared equally between donations for Takeru Team and An Sanctóir.
Takeru Team is an on-the-ground charity in Gaza catering directly to displaced Palestinians. It was formed by Bilal, a highly respected social worker and community leader who has been in contact with people in Ballydehob for many years. The team work to provide flour, clothing, water, shelter, meals and activities that support psychological recovery. It creates initiatives that bring stability and hope to residents of Gaza, particularly children. West Cork for Palestine has built an especially close relationship with Takeru Team since the onset of the Israeli bombardment.
At An Sanctóir, one of our priorities is to restore and maintain our spaces for flexible community use. As a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity, we hope that this event involving local (and internationa)l artists in an art auction will help to achieve these intentions. We are inviting the artists to submit an original art piece as part of our fundraising exhibition and auction. This is an opportunity to support both Palestine and An Sanctóir while showcasing the wonderful creations of artists. Precisely this type of community collaboration is at the heart of An Sanctóir’s ethos. All works will be carefully catalogued and showcased for our online auction before the exhibition’s launch and live auction. If you or someone you know would be interested in submitting an art piece, please email admin@ansanctoir.ie for more information and the submission form. Include your name and “Fundraising Open Call” in the subject line. The official deadline for artist submissions is 17th November 2025.
West Cork for Gaza 