"So much joy": Sam's first weekend at Barretstown

Each year, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland runs family weekends at Barretstown — and there are few better ways to capture what they mean than through the eyes of the families who attend. This May, Sam and his family joined us for their very first weekend, and his mum, Ciara shared a beautiful video of their few days away. With her kind permission, we're delighted to share their story.

The weekend had been a long time coming. Sam's family had been offered a place before, but a hospital stay meant they had to wait — so finally making it in May 2026 felt all the more special. "I was already blown away with the surroundings," Sam's mum recalls of the drive in, when the family first spotted Barretstown's stunning castle.

Once they'd settled into their cottage, a trip to the playground just across the way was all it took to get Sam smiling — and from there, the smiles didn't stop. There was dinner and evening activities, where Sam was "in his element," and a surprise go at archery for mum and big brother Owen.

The days that followed were full. The sensory room was a clear favourite — Sam loved every minute of it and went back more than once. There were visits to the horses, which delighted his sister Imogen so much that she's since asked for horse riding lessons for her birthday. Owen, Eli and Imogen tried rock climbing, and the whole family took part in a movie-making session, with Owen earning big laughs across the camp as he "represented Drogheda" in the International Interpretive Jumping competition.

But the moment that stood out came on the Sunday morning, when Sam took his very own turn at archery — encouraged every step of the way by Barretstown's volunteers and staff. "I'm so thankful that we did," his mum says.

Looking back on the weekend, she reflected: "I'm so proud of who he is, and the joy that this weekend gave him gave us all so much joy."

Our heartfelt thanks go to Sam's family for sharing their weekend with us, to everyone at Barretstown for the magic they create, and to the volunteers and staff who go above and beyond to make these weekends so special for our members and their families. We can't wait to welcome more families soon.

Follow Ciara Dunne on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ciaradunnefitzgerald/