The past week has been difficult for many of us. Since Rat Putin’s invasion of Ukraine I have been unable to sleep a night. The courage of the Ukrainian resistance in the face of overwhelming odds has shamed me. After much moral searching I have decided that I cannot stand idly by and watch these great people be slaughtered. I have decided to join the International Brigade of the Ukrainian Army. This will mean me leaving TFK.
Yesterday I e-mailed the Ukrainian embassy who told me who to get in touch with. I sent off another e-mail to the International Brigade explaining that I had no Ukrainian or military experience but asking if they still wanted me. They replied within the hour and I was in.
This morning I informed my employer that I was very sorry but I had to hand in my notice. He was very shocked and told me I was mad. I’m taking the car to a dealer today who’s told me that he can give me cash for it. On Saturday I’m flying out to Lublin in Poland. A 5:15pm flight arriving at 9:15pm local time. I’ll spend the night there and then get in touch with an address that the Ukrainian Army have given me. I presume that they’ll give me a gun and send me heading towards the border.
Contrary to what has been said about me here, I am not a follower of O’Duffy but rather a follower of Frank Ryan. These people need my help and I am not an Alright-Jack. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me but ironically, I think that I will sleep easier in Ukraine than I do now. My greatest fear is not for myself, my greatest fear is that my lack of language and military skills makes me a burden on the cause but who knows, we’ll see how it goes.
My girlfriend hasn’t taken it well and I haven’t told my parents. I’ll tell them when I’m there. I think that even if I didn’t go to Ukraine, my girlfriend might end it anyway now. She doesn’t share my passion for justice to the same extent. Who knows what the future holds.
I don’t know what I’ll find on the frontline. I expect I will find awful sights, death, cruelty, courage and horrific mobile data charges. TFK won’t be viable in those circumstances. My only hope is that this horrible war is won before the start of the 2022 NFL season.
Many of you will be delighted to see me gone. Since this will be my last message to you all, I’ll just say that there’s some good and some bad in you all and please work to cultivate that good and move away from the bad. I used the word “work” but there are lots of different kinds of work. It has become apparent to me in the past few days that some of you have given up on yourselves. I haven’t given up on myself, I won’t give up on myself and I won’t give up on humanity.
Although I go to fight for Ukraine, I want you to know that I fight for the soul of Ireland as well.
Éirinn go Bráth
Glory to Ukraine
