The remarkable and ongoing connection between the citizens of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the people of Ireland is known to many of us. Beginning in earnest in 1847, when the Choctaw sent a donation to Ireland's starving poor during An Gorta Mór (the Great Irish Famine), the relationship is as alive and as vibrant today as it has ever been. This is a relationship that reflects resilience, strength, continuance, reciprocity, and friendship.

To honour the courage and memory of our ancestors Padraig joined the Choctaw Nation Trail of Tears Bike team in 2025 . The first Irish rider to ever join the team, Padraig participated in a 7-day cycle that followsed one of the historic routes walked by the Choctaw during their Removal from their tribal homelands. His journey served as an act of remembrance even as it celebrated enduring historic moments of alliance and exchange.

Please join with Padraig this year by helping to make the trip possible for friends and teammates from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. All donations will go to the Trail of Tears Bike Team in full, and will help to ensure that future Trail of Tears team cycles will be possible.

Let's honour the gift that the tribe sent to Ireland. We must never forget our past, and we must plot a route to a shared, supportive, and healthy future. Let's keep the cycle going!