Sanctuary: The True Story of an Irish Village, a Man Who Lost His Way, and the Rescue Donkeys That Led Him Home

Great book to read. I had mini donkeys for years and this book brought me back to a few times with them. The price was Great and it arrived early.

This is a mixed review. I had never heard about the history of donkeys in Ireland and the need for a sanctuary to heal and care for the volume of abused donkeys. I loved Thunder Dog, written by Suzy Flory, and expected to feel the same about this book. However, this book took me over a month to read due to a lack of engagement. The first one-fourth of the book was a slow read through background and details. However, I was determined to get through the whole book. The main character was Patrick Barrett, and the setting was Ireland. Patrick’s issues with alcohol from childhood and PTSD as a veteran, having served in Iraq, were compelling and well-written. Patrick’s redemptive story is worthy of being in print. It would have been a faster read for me if incidents had been condensed along with repetitious details. I found myself scanning pages to keep going because I cared about the character and the donkeys. When another Patrick entered the story, some sections required re-re-reading to identify the Patrick. But you won’t know what I’m talking about until you read the book, and I hope you will.

Susy Flory, the New York Times bestselling author or coauthor of sixteen books, including the amazing story of Thunder Dog, the blind man and his dog who escaped the 9/11 Twin Towers destruction, has written another wonderful memoir telling of one person’s victorious overcoming of impossible odds.In Sanctuary, we meet a traumatized Irish soldier who had become addicted to the Irish bane, alcohol, early in his life. His one deeply rooted contact with life was with the rescue donkeys in the sanctuary his father managed in their small rural village. A deeply empathic lad, he identified with the lonely isolation of abused donkeys and learned their language—much to the annoyance of others—for he could set the entire herd to braying with one of his calls!Growing up, Patrick treasured the tales of the rebel fighters of Irish history, and he shared the Irish delight in fierce courage, strength, and leadership—his deeply felt value system. He relished, as well, the independent rebelling spirit in donkeys. He loved winning their loyalty.The theme of isolated and traumatized aloneness, of not belonging to a herd, contrasts with the joy of healed fellowship in both his life and the lives of the donkeys. His life story is framed with the symbolic image of ruined remains of stone: Liscarroll castle and the old stone ruins of an abandoned church and stumbling graveyard, the flat-topped stone in the donkeys’ field, probably a remnant of an old watchtower. Stone walls, gray and silver like the donkeys, warmed with brambles, roses, and wildflowers and vines, lined his local roadways, like the stubborn strength and Irish endurance he admired.This is a heartfelt story that will change the way you look at trauma, at the care of animals, and at the hidden life of old rural villages! As Patrick described it, “The old me needed to be put to rest, so that the real me locked inside could come out and live and breathe and see all of the beauty and wonder of the world again.”Above all, this is a love story: love and grace with people, with broken and ruined donkeys, with one’s family and one’s soul mate, and with the Creator of it all.

I picked this book for my book club. I knew the basic storyline from reading the cover, but was amazed by the depth of the story and how it changed several set ideas I had on the subject matter.I will never look at another donkey the same way again, or devastating effects of alcoholism and PTSD in Patrick’s life, and how it rippled out to those he loved and even to strangers, was shocking. Yet, he finds hope and redemption in accepting God’s grace and turns his life around.The story also stirred an interest in my heart to read more about the Irish and their land.I could not put this book down and read through from one night into the next morning. A remarkable telling the hard truths of rising above the lowest depths of despair.Highly recommend.

What a perfect time to be reading Sanctuary: The True Story of an Irish Village, a Man Who Lost His Way, and the Rescue Donkeys That Led Him Home by Patrick Barrett and Susy Flory. Patrick’s story begins with a whimsical, endearing description of his early years on a donkey sanctuary in a rural Irish village. But the story takes a dark turn as Patrick’s alcoholism and trauma-inducing military service take him down a tortured path of addiction and isolation. His return to the peaceful Irish village, and the work of nurturing abused and abandoned donkeys, is a beautiful story of humility, grace, and healing. As we are assaulted by the harrowing news of war stories all around us right now, it’s encouraging to read such a redemptive story that reveals how God’s reach is never far away, and that miracles can be found in the most ordinary circumstances.I encourage you to dive into this story – it will do your heart good!

It got a lot heavier about the author's life as an alcoholic. I expected more about the donkeys. It was a bit less uplifting than I expected.

It is a wonderful story about a young Irishman who suffers from real learning disabilities compounded by alcoholism (discovered as a budding teenager) … He tells his story about how he finds his way out of that morass, how complicated and dark alcoholism can be, and yet the love of his family, his friends, and especially that wonderful wisdom and serenity of donkeys all combine to bring him back into Life. Most wonderfully told too is how the lessons of his misspent youth are never lost on him and how they (the lessons + the faith of his friend and family + the donkeys) all combined to sculpt him into a remarkable, kind, loving and giving adult person.

Great read. Fast shipping.

Sanctuary: The True Story of an Irish Village, a Man Who Lost His Way, and the Rescue Donkeys That Led Him Home ~ by Patrick Barrett and Susy FloryIf you are an animal lover and a fan of recovery story memoirs, you'll love this book. It's written in easy-to-understand language and reads much like a novel. I teared up several times while reading it and was so relieved how happily this wonderful story ended.The bonus for me was how much I learned about beautiful Ireland and its beloved donkeys. This book is deeply written without being dark and depressing. It's an honest journey that's full of hope and ends with Patrick finding Sanctuary in a personal relationship with God.While reading it, I was reminded of when I had to feed bottles to a kitten (which of course I had to keep after such a special bonding experience); the tenderness and the strong tie between Patrick and his bottle-fed donkey made my eyes mist with joy.

I loved tGetting to travel to Ireland through this story. The true life details dealing with a young sensitive boy’s connection to rescue donkeys his parents provided sanctuary for and the humorous antics of these donkeys added humour and realism. Then as a young man dealing with PTSD , the challenges and even a touch of romance added as he meets his soulmate make this book a most enjoyable and inspirational read.

Such an interesting read - very inspiring! I loved the story of a man who reached bottom - and was rescued by his relationship with donkeys and an incredible encounter with God. The Irish setting was enchanting and the donkeys were amazing! A page-turner, for sure!