A popular Keady bricklayer who developed a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis from breathing in cement dust had recorded a video, just weeks before he died, urging young builders: “Don’t make the mistakes I did.”
Raymond Callaghan – affectionately known as ‘Boots’ – said young builders and construction workers must make use of personal protection equipment when on the job.
Raymond, who was diagnosed in 2019, recorded the video a month before he passed away when he encouraged others to look after their own health and ensure they follow all the necessary health and safety advice.
The father-of-six breathed his last, with his loving family by his side, just a week before Christmas, on December 18, at the age of 64.
Related: Sadness as devoted dad and one of Keady’s ‘big characters’ passes away after long illness
Raymond had been living in the downstairs of his home in a bid to cope with the chronic condition.
Band of Builders, a charity which supports members of the UK construction industry and their families and dependants who are facing life-changing or limiting circumstances, had been due to carry out a project at Raymond’s home in Keady.
The charity was to have completed a bedroom and wetroom extension there as its first project of 2025.
But Band of Builders, today (Monday) posthumously shared Raymond’s last words recorded to bring advice and encouragement to others.
In its post, the charity wrote: “Boots, being the man he was, made a video a month to the day before he passed with his words of advice for the younger generation starting out and even those that have been in the trades long enough to know better about the importance of using PPE.”
In the short video, Raymond tells how he worked as a bricklayer, beginning as an apprentice at the age of 17, and working up until 2019.
His shock diagnosis was of a rare pulmonary fibrosis, which he said he developed as a result of “years of breathing in cement dust on building sites”.
Raymond, wearing his oxygen mask and clearly struggling for breath, said he wanted to make the video to raise awareness for all young construction workers.
He told how he had attended all the necessary health and safety talks in his time working, before adding: “I went to them because I had to and I needed to mark down as having health and safety training up to date.
“If I’m honest most of us didn’t listen to half of what was said and if we did listen we just shrugged it off, because that’s never going to happen to me, is it?
“I’m now housebound and relying on oxygen 24/7. I sleep in a hospital bed downstairs and struggle to walk two metres across the hallway to use the toilet.
“If I was able to I’d show every young brickie or tradesman exactly what the dangers of cement dust have brought me to, but I can’t, so I can only put this video out to ask you not to be as deaf as I was, not to put your own health at risk for the sake of being laughed at for a few weeks of wearing your PPE.
“Your health and your family or future family is more important than making sure the other lads on the site aren’t laughing at you.
“You only get one chance at this life. Don’t make the mistakes I did and make sure yours is a longer and healthier one than mine.”
Band of Builders, in sharing Raymond’s final video, said: “If this video only reaches one person to make the difference that’s all he asks.”
