There have been four great friends here in Hamburg from across the sea from Ireland this weekend. They have taken some of their precious time they so badly need for their studies to buy a plane ticket and book into accommodation here to see Pádraig. Each time we meet, I feel that Pádraig, despite his accident, and despite the way he is at the moment, has been such a lucky person, having friends that others could only dream of.

He was off the oxygen again today, and two hours on the speech valve. For him, it’s like training his important muscles again.

So, they made it up to the ‘fortified height’, Dioghais or Djouce. The Mountain Flag Challenge today brought a group of people led by my friends from Kantan MT up into the wilderness of the Wicklow Mountains. When they talked to me some months ago and said that they had this idea of raising funds for ‘Caring for Pádraig’, I said that I was taken really back, that I could not believe their generosity, but that I also felt it very difficult to deal with such a situation. I said to my friends that it is, in a way, so much easier to give than to accept help, that these were very difficult times but that I did not want to become a victim that people would feel pity for. That so far it had mostly been Pádraig’s friends organising the fundraising. The answer was that they wanted to help. I told Pádraig today what my friends and colleagues had been doing today. I am sure he understood and probably felt a bit like myself. Helpless, but on the way out of it! – Here are the pictures from today’s trek up the Djouce, in what looks like typical Irish weather, a bit of sun and plenty of fog.

Thank you to all who prepared, supported, and, above all, got up this morning to climb the Djouce, Caring for Pádraig!