Something to ink about... 79 people get matching tulip tattoos in a unique fundraiser for brave Tara boy

A five-year-old Tara boy living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy has inspired 79 people to get matching tulip tattoos in a unique fundraiser which has raised €5,000 for Little Blue Heroes.

Darragh Brangan’s family brought together relatives, friends, work colleagues and complete strangers for the special fundraising event at Loud Ink tattoo studio in Drogheda on World Duchenne Day.

Each of the 79 participants received a small tulip tattoo representing one of the 79 exons that make up the dystrophin gene affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

For Darragh, who was diagnosed with the rare muscle-wasting condition as a toddler, one number holds particular significance — exon 55, the exon affected by his own mutation.

The fundraiser was organised by Darragh’s parents, Zoe and Gordon, who wanted to give something back to Little Blue Heroes after the support the organisation has provided to their family.

The couple had originally set out to recruit 79 people for the event, with participants choosing a numbered tulip design between one and 79.

But what began as a fundraising idea grew into something much bigger for the Brangan family.

“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s as though we created our own little community,” said Zoe.

“Raising money was the goal, but more than that, more people are talking about Duchenne now, which is worth more than any amount of money to us.

“More people know the daily fight our boys endure, and more people have an understanding of what it means.”

The fundraising target had initially been around €3,000, but the event ultimately raised €5,000 for Little Blue Heroes, which supports children with serious illnesses and disabilities and their families across Ireland.

Of the €50 cost of each tattoo, €40 went directly to the charity, with the remaining €10 covering equipment costs.

For Darragh himself, the experience was something a little different.

After seeing so many people arrive to get tattoos inspired by his diagnosis and his journey, he was delighted to see people coming together for him.

"Darragh and the girls knew we were fundraising and Darragh's biggest worry was that he would still get visits from his little blue heroes! There was a young man there who has Duchenne, Conor McCauley, and it was Darragh's first time meeting someone else with Duchenne. A lot of it went over his head, but he knows that mammy and daddy and trying to help and support other little boys who use wheelchairs, and in his words " that's cool " said Zoe.

The family later held an unveiling at Swan’s in Skryne, where the 79 participants and supporters came together again to celebrate what they had achieved.

The owners of Swan’s, Allan and Jane, and their son Mark, also got a tattoo.

Music was provided by the Dunshaughlin Voculeles, in which Darragh’s father Gordon performs.

Zoe said the event and unveiling had been an overwhelmingly positive experience for the family.

“It was such a positive event and unveiling,” she said. “Honestly, it reminds me of the good in life when things are so hard day to day.

“We have always said it — people are so good.”

The idea for the distinctive tulip design came from Welcome to Holland, a poem by Emily Perl Kingsley which describes the experience of parents who prepare themselves for one journey after having a child, only to discover they have arrived somewhere entirely unexpected.

For Zoe and Gordon, the poem resonated with their own experience following Darragh’s diagnosis.

“That really resonated with us,” Zoe previously said. “That’s where the tulip came from.”

She said the fundraiser was also about creating something lasting for Darragh and the people who have supported him.

“I love the idea of Darragh bringing people together and that everyone who gets a tattoo will always have that reminder and a little piece of him with them,” she said.

Now, Zoe says the 79 tattoos have taken on an even greater significance for the family.

“79 people carry a symbol of hope for boys living with Duchenne, and I struggle to put into words how much healing there is in that for us as a family,” she said.

Among those who took part were both of Darragh’s grandfathers, neither of whom had previously had a tattoo.

Zoe had previously joked that her father-in-law, who will be 80 next year, was taking the plunge, while her own father — whom she described as “probably the most prim and proper man you’ll ever meet” — was also getting his first tattoo.

The response to the fundraiser had brought together family members, friends, colleagues and people who had heard about Darragh’s story through social media.

And the family is already discussing how the idea could continue.

Talks are underway about making the 79-person event an annual or biannual fundraiser, with a skydive among the ideas being discussed for a future event.

For the Brangan family, however, the greatest achievement has been the awareness created around Duchenne and the sense of community built around Darragh.

The family has previously spoken about the difference Little Blue Heroes has made to them since Darragh’s diagnosis.

“When you have a child with a disability, you can sometimes feel like nobody really sees what you’re doing day to day,” Zoe said.

“Then you go to something like the Little Blue Heroes Christmas party and you’re treated like royalty. Everything is organised for you and, most importantly, you’re surrounded by other families who understand exactly what you’re going through. It’s amazing.”

Darragh recently started primary school and, despite the challenges associated with Duchenne, remains a happy little boy with a passion for tractors and farm machinery.

Earlier this year, Darragh broke his femur, temporarily leaving him unable to walk, while the family has also recently made the difficult decision to begin steroid treatment.

But Zoe previously described her son as incredibly determined. “He never lets anything stop him,” she said.