It’s one of the most successful German music groups apparently – although they look older than I will ever feel. They are from Flensburg (north of Hamburg) and appeared on the scene after I left my Vaterland. They wanted this song to get them a ticket to the Eurovision in Copenhagen. Lots of people thought they’d made it because they are so famous. The description of the song on youtube by Germany’s public first TV channel ARD is that it’s a “pathetic folk song about yearning, wanderlust” (here is a German word that is not connected to Germany’s unholy past that made it into English!), “and irrepressible perseverance”.

“Die Sehnsucht trägt uns hinaus, in der Ferne sind wir zuhaus!” If you listen to the music, you’ll hear some Irish connections (they probably wanted it to sound a little “viking”). But really, and in all honesty: Would the Greek’s have given Germany 10 πόντους? Or the Spaniards, or the Portuguese? Never to mention Israel? A German song called: “We will never go down” would probably not have gone down that well in most parts of Europe. And the music? You can see them marching down Unter den Linden with torches singing this song. Really laut.

Somebody pulled the plug and stopped their march over the border from Flensburg into Copenhagen.

Although… I like the idea of wanderlust, of never giving up, of yearning. I am almost sure Pádraig wouldn’t like the music, but what this song is about would be right down his alley.

He is working on this right now: the only way is up for him. He is trying so hard and he won’t give up. He won’t go down. I can only image what it is like to be in bed for months on end – and the will power he has to keep going. – He was good today, pretty relaxed. It seems that his legs have reached a state where they are not getting thinner or thicker, so finally, they were able to order his specially adapted and fitted pressure socks to help him with the thrombosis. Although weekends are quiet here staff-wise, they managed to sit him out in the viva-la-Thekla which was really good.

Please – check out the upcoming events Pádraig’s friends have been organizing. They are truly amazing:

There are less than 2 weeks to go for Irene and Lynn to swim a mile for Pádraig in the National Acquatic Centre in Dublin on 04 April at 7pm!

Here is what one of the two ‘master’ swimmers wrote in an email  last week:
On Christmas Day my ‘darling’ husband gave me the most unromantic present ever, he had registered me for the ‘Swim a mile challenge’. As most of you know I am no fish! Since the New Year I have taken the plunge and started to train. My first lesson was with the impatient Fergal and I managed to put my face in the water and swim 5 meters but not at the same time. I have trained hard since and in the process I have provided lots of entertainment for onlookers and fellow swimmers.
I think this is a heroic effort that deserves your support.

The next event on the calendar after that will be the incredible swim around Ireland. There are still a few last places left for Snámh Phádraig: if you would like to swim for a few minutes off the coast of every county in Ireland with a coast over two days (12-13 April 2014) check in here.

Today’s German Music Tip
Santiano, Wir werden niemals untergehen (2014).

What’s hot
Wanderlust
What’s cold

The German word/phrase/verse of the day
Schweinerei

Twitter: @forPadraig
#caringforPadraig
http://www.caringforPadraig.org