Friends we met for the first time just over a year ago arrived in Hamburg. To see the three of them together, the three for whom Cape Cod Hospital opened up a disused wing to allow them to sleep in the hospital after nights on reclining chairs in the visitors room. The three who spent day and night with us beside his bed.

Words. Don’t work here. To describe feelings.

They made it again to his bedside. Are with him. Beside him.

I want to go with Pádraig and his friend to Alaska. Happiness is only real when shared.

We ‘graduated’ and can now unblock and block Pádraig’s tracheostomy to change him to a speech valve, thanks to Pádraig’s really nice and helpful speech therapist! Continued to help with moving Pádraig out of the bed and into the wheelchair. And another session of respiratory therapy! Pádraig’s senior doctor came in today to check on his progress – but Pádraig was tired and wasn’t really very cooperative. Tomorrow!

#Dreamboat #SongForPadraig #AmhránDoPhádraig

Watch the first practice session here. – Next practice session: This coming Sunday morning, Conradh na Gaeilge, Harcourt Street, Dublin, 11am.

From Andrew:

(English Below)
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir as ucht teacht oíche aréir.
Ba chóir dúinn bheith bróidiúil… Sílim go n-éiríomar go han mhaith leis ar fad.
Cúpla rud le cur i gcuimhne daoibh i ndiaidh…
1: Cleachtadh ag a 11 maidin Domhnaigh…. Beidh Maitiú ag an cleachtadh seo, so beidh muid in ann roinnt fadhbanna / ceisteanna a shortáil.
2: Cleachtadh oifigiúil deirneach oíche Luain (8 arís?)
3: Rudaí a rinneamar don amhrán –
A: I ndiaidh na Ooohs agus Aaahs déanann muid “And it floated like it floated like a dream” faoi 3 (freagar ghaeilge ag na harmonies – “agus sheol sí le gaoth”) le na huirlisí…. AGUS ANSIN FAOI 3 gan uirlis ar bith (ná déan dearmad… don cheann deirneach déanann muid go léir “agus seolaimid ár nguí”, ag fanacht ar an nóta deirneach ar feadh píosa…
B: Don Intro… cloiseann muid an riff a dhéanann Seán ar an Bouzouki faoi 2.. ansin tosaíonn an canadh
C: Tá an electric guitar solo a dhéanann Oisín nuair atá sé ag seasamh ar a cheann an-mhaith.
D: An féidir le Claire Hyland bass-line simplí a oibriú amach?!!! xoxo
4: Scaip an scéal faoin Oíche mhór cheoil sa chonradh ar an máirt… tá sé tábhachtach go dtagann go leor daoine le go mbeimid in ann airgid a fháil le na chostasaí a chlúdach!
Go raibh míle maith agaibh arís.
————————————————————–English———————————–
Thanks a million for coming last night!
I think we can be very proud… we definitely made a lot of progress
There are a few things we should remember
1: Practice at 11 on Sunday morning… Maitiu will be at this practice, so we can iron out any mistakes, or sort out any questions we might have
2: Last official practice on Monday night at (8?!)
3: Things to remember in terms of the actual music:
A: After the Ooohs and Aaahs.. we sing “It floated like, it floated like a dream” (with the answering response – “agus sheol sí le gaoth” from the harmony section) 3 times with the instruments… THEN WE SING IT 3 times with no instruments at all (remember on the very last line we all sing “agus seolaimid ár nguí”… holding the last note for a while)
B: During the Intro, Seán plays his bouzouki riff x2 and then the singing starts
C: Oisín’s upside down, headstand electric guitar solo is excellent, I think we should roll with it.
D: Claire Hyland.. can you come up with a simple bass-line? xoxo
4: Spread the word about the music night on Tuesday.. we need as many people to come as possible so we can raise enough funds to cover our costs! Get campaigning!