Support a Survivor – support his talents
The following below is an extract from a book currently being developed by a Survivor who is a member of our organisation.
His name is Patrick Strahan and Patrick has always offered his support, advice and information to our organisation.
What is extraordinary about Patrick is his life story – his talents are exceptional and we always believe in promoting the best that Survivors have to offer and it has to be said – Patrick is the best at what he does.
Patrick (aswell as being a talented writer) is also an extremely talented craftsman. Patrick is a master at forging and with the support of those closest to him has rejuvenated a wonderful piece of history, into his art.
So below is a small extract from a book he is working on, but even further down from that is information on his Professional life, his work and I hope all Survivors / our supporters and everybody else supports him in his excellent work.
From us to you Patrick, keep up the great work;
” As I drove back into the picnic area I’m relieved that it’s empty no cars, no people. The daylight is almost gone and I put on the handbrake looking up at a few bright stars appearing in the summer sky. As I sit there running through my thoughts I open a can of beer and light a cigarette. The lights of Dublin city below are clashing with the ever darkening sky and it somehow reflect the conflict that’s within me.
I thought I’d never reach eighteen years of age, that marked the day I would officially be free I could make my own decisions without interference. I pondered over my young life and tried to make some sense of my journey, three years with my mother, eleven years in a child prison and a college education behind me. I was so emotionally challenged that I couldn’t identify the borderline between happiness and sadness which left me walking the tight rope between being carefree and careless. A self diagnosed educated mad man.
Raised by nuns left me feeling lonely, confused, insecure, angry and a deep sense of injustice about the collective one size fits all treatment I received over the years. I really tried my best to understand and respect their unique approach to life. It was an almost impossible task as they were completely and utterly unwilling to discuss or negotiate in any context subjects that were not within the parameters of the Catholic brand. They had for whatever reason decided to give their life to Jesus and I didn’t have a problem with their right to make that choice.
I certainly had a major problem with their expectation that, that was the best and only route for me. I had to suppress and hide my views, because I was in a situation where if I wasn’t prepared to accept that my primary purpose in this life was to prepare a place for myself in the next one, then I was open to mental and emotional abuse. There also seemed to be a theory that if I had any resistance to this great message and could not embrace it, then they were quite willing to beat it into me. In this very insular environment where impulse or spontaneity were not encouraged it was nothing short of spiritual abuse.
I was taken from a mother who according to the court detention papers was unfit, well that’s all it said in the little yellow box. A simple yet shrewd country girl with lots of children and lots of fathers. The fact that she loved us was only a minor detail when the powers that be came to remove us from the family home. A family unit that desperately needed support was thorn apart with brothers and sisters sent to different industrial schools based on age difference. My beautiful darling brother Dermot and myself were put in the same mini bus, instantly I became his protector, at the ripe age of 3 years just a year younger than myself he was my family until his death ten years later. He was a super kid with a great passion for life and although his medical diagnosis from an early age was not optimistic he remained active up to the last week of his life. I loved him beyond anything words can explain and I still miss him today. It seemed to me that the people overseeing my affairs at that time didn’t realize that there is no trade off for love. “
Fantastic.
Additionally to this, I implore you to have a look at the wonderful creative Artwork talents that Patrick has. The company that he and his wife have founded and started, deserves all the support it can get. You don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself –
Well Done again Patrick and to your continued success!!!!!!