Cruach Phádraig do Phádraig
This St. Patrick’s weekend, we’ll be climbing Croagh Patrick in aid of Pádraig Schaler, our good friend who suffered an acquired brain injury in 2013. On Saturday, March 14, over 40 of Pádraig’s friends will begin the ascent of the Reek – with the hope that the same number make it back down again! Níl bealach níos fearr le Féile Naomh Phádraig a cheiliúradh ná taobh Chruach Phádraig lenár Pádraig fhéin.
All funds raised will go to support Caring for Pádraig. Pádraig’s continued care and therapy comes at a financial cost, and Caring for Pádraig was set up after his accident as a way for his friends and family to help out in that regard. Nearly seven years on from being knocked off his bicycle in Cape Cod and suffering a serious brain injury, Pádraig continues to take big and small steps on the road of rehabilitation. Though advanced movement and speech is currently beyond him, Pádraig hears and understands everything, and is able to communicate with those around him via actions or gestures, communication aids, or often through his own ingenuity.
Pádraig, as his friends can well attest to, obviously loves the craic and has expressed his excitement to be joining the climbers for a music session at Campbell’s Pub at the foot of Croagh Patrick following their descent of the Reek. The thought of that hooley, with Pádraig right in the middle of it, is something that will hopefully keep climbers in good spirits when the going gets tough, which is certainly will atop the Reek.
It’s a perfect Pádraig storm – Lá Fhéile Phádraig, Cruach Phádraig, agus Pádraig é fhéin – what more could you want!
Go n-éirí an sliabh leis na dreapadóirí!
SUPPORT PÁDRAIG’S FRIENDS’ EFFORT – IDONATE
If you want to make contact with Pádraig and his family email:
CaringForPadraig@gmail.com or call +353-87-6736414.
“It is time for change. It is time for a revolution in rehabilitation.” - Not our words but those of the person appointed by the Government of Ireland and the HSE as the National Director of Clinical Strategy and Programmes, Dr Áine Carroll. (Irish Examiner, 03.02.2011)
Download the New Dreamboat poster to promote the CD
in your school, college, place of work, or neighbourhood!
Extracts from the Amhrán do Phádraig album, recorded by 40 of Pádraig’s friends during the summer of 2014 were played for the first time live on national radio on 06 November 2014. Listen to the beautiful interview with Maitíu O’Casaide of the Bonnymen by Rónán Beo@3 on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta playing live on air extracts from the album, including Conamara, opening the programme, by Claire Hyland and Aisling Ní Laoire), the title track Dreamboat, in the background during the interview with Maitíu, by the Dreamboaters; the poem Pádraig (by Marcus Mac Conghail); and Ní Bheidh Tú Riamh leat Fhéin (You will never be on your own), by Lauren Ní Chasaide and Fiona Pain.
Check out “Dreamboat” on youtube (with chords and lyrics), follow the ‘making of‘ on Facebook (give it loads of ‘likes’), and buy the album for your friends and family!
Download the New Dreamboat poster to promote the CD
in your school, college, place of work, or neighbourhood!
Pádraig Schäler (also known as Patrick, Paddy, ‘Schaler’, and Big P!) was knocked off his bicycle as he cycled to work on Cape Cod on Thursday, 27 June 2013, at 10am. He remained in a coma for a long time. He had just finished his undergraduate studies in Trinity College Dublin and had planned to spend the summer on a J1 working visa in the US while considering which of his many plans for the future he should pursue.
After a few weeks in Cape Cod Hospital, his family brought him home to Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital. Four months later, they decided to move him to a dedicated early neuro-rehab facility in Hamburg, Germany.
The family have had to cover very significant expenses since the accident happened. His air ambulance flight to Germany alone cost 12,000 euro and had to be paid for by them. Now, weekly therapy cost run into the hundreds of euro. Necessary intensive therapy sessions abroad cost thousands of euro.
Many people have asked if they could help ease the financial burden on Pádraig’s family. For anyone who would like to make a contribution, the following account has been set up:
AIB, Blackthorn Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18.
Account name: Caring For Padraig
BIC AIBKIE2DXXX
Sort Code 93-35-70
Account Number 51728089
IBAN IE70 AIBK 9335 7051 7280 89
Alternatively, you can contribute online.
A special committee has been set up to coordinate the fundraising efforts and to administer any funding raised. This committee is independent of the family and will be fully accountable of how any money raised is spent. (For further details on fundraising see: About)
The family used all their energy, as Pádraig’s condition became more stable, to highlight the shortcomings of insurance policies sold to young students planning to work abroad; the inadequate protection of cyclists in the US by the authorities; and, most importantly, the lack of appropriate care and therapy for patients with a severe brain injury in Ireland.
(Pádraig’s father writes a personal blog about the move to Germany at www.hospi-tales.com . You can contact him on 087-6736414.)
Please send any questions or comments you might have to CaringforPadraig@gmail.com.
Last changed 16 July 2019
In the news: RTÉ Nuacht (29 June 2014), PRESS RELEASE (30 June 2014), University Times (02 July 2014), Meath Chronicle (02 July 2014), TheJournal.ie (01 July 2014), the Evening Herald (11 July 2014), and the Boston Irish Reporter (01 August 2014), Rhode Local Paper, Co. Offaly (25 October 2014), Máirtín Ó Muilleoir in NewBelfast.com (02 November 2014), Rónán Beo@3 (06 November 2014), TheJournal.ie (29 November 2014), Herald.ie (03 December 2014), Irish Times (03 December 2014), NewsTalk (03 December 2014), Seachtain (03 December 2014), Céili House on RTÉ 1 (13 December 2014). Launch of the song “Pádraig” (11 June 2015) with short live video – buy the song here to support Pádraig’s rehab programme!
Caring for Pádraig 
