The World Meeting of Families, which coincides with the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland this August, is fast approaching and preparations are being put in place for the lineup that will entertain Croke Park on the day. Declan O’Rourke was one of those asked to perform. He joined Joe Duffy on Liveline this afternoon to tell him why he won’t be making an appearance.
Declan told Joe that the invite posed a “moral dilemma” to him.
“I’m not a religious person, no disrespect to anyone else’s beliefs. But, you know, I feel the Catholic church is responsible for so much suffering in this country. And I felt that you know if there was going to be a big ordeal made of family and everything, that some kind of gesture would have to be made.”
The gesture Declan had in mind? An “acknowledgement” of victims of clerical abuse.
“I would have used my performance, I suppose as a platform for that purpose somehow. Not disrespectfully. But just in solidarity, you know?”
Declan gave Joe an idea of what he might have said on stage.
“I would have just said this goes out on behalf, in acknowledgement, of the victims of clerical abuse around this country.”
It didn’t work out, Declan told Joe. Declan said that being asked to perform a song that was not his own (‘Rainy Night in Soho’) with Finbarr Furey and Shane McGowan was unexpected.
“A beautiful song and they are two absolute heroes of mine. But it wasn’t my song. It wouldn’t have been any of my songs…there was no room for any of my songs. They said it was a very tightly scripted 2-hour show.”
After discussing his decision with several close family members, he feels it was the right one for him.
“You have to have your principles and I believe that standing up there and taking part in that concert if you didn’t make the right acknowledgement of those victims would be wrong.”
Listen back to the full discussion on Liveline here.