Answer Ireland's Call

Even observing social distancing we can stand shoulder to shoulder and #AnswerIrelandsCall

There is no rule book on how we should feel or act at times like this. Many of us are simply trying to come to terms with a new normal, and are not sure (beyond staying at home) how we might help.

4 days ago I posted on twitter that I would like to get some of the Irish doctors abroad to return home to our front line, and help fight COVID19. I had offered to fly a pair.

3 days later that tweet was seen over 7M times, and anonymous donors started to come forward and offer funds and flight credits to bring medical staff home to the fight, that might otherwise not be able to travel. (Flights from Perth, Australia have recently been priced at $8000+). My brother Kevin Sands, and our friends Conor Hughes and James Lawlor have been volunteering thanklessly around the clock with volunteers at Hannon Travel (run by a good louth woman Eimer Hannon) and Emerald travel in the southern hemisphere. No one is paid a penny, at the newly formed Ireland's Call Initiative.

Today I am delighted to say that we have scores of doctors in-process to come back to Ireland, with over 100 already home already from Australia, New Zealand, Malawai, UK, North and /South America.

These are the highest order of help we can can recruit to the fight, which is bravely being fought by our front line workers all over our island.

If you can give anything to help bring these folks home, or can help in any way otherwise - please contact me. Thank you very, very much.

Onward, as ever.

Neil