Friends stranded from war in Ukraine make Limerick their home with new cafe

TWO WOMEN who now run a cafe in Kilmallock went on holidays in February 2022 and found out from family over the phone that Russia had invaded Ukraine and they couldn't return home.

Iryna Kucher and Svitlana Kirsan both worked for a leading regional news outlet in Ukraine - Sobitie, at the time.

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Throughout her career, Ms Kucher had a number of CEO roles. She had run charitable foundations, set up inclusive play centres for children and was involved in politics, as well as being a shareholder in the news outlet she worked for.

Her business partner Ms Kirsan was a financial director and had a whole team of accountants working for her.

Now, their two families share a home in Croom and they run the Horseshoe Cafe in Kilmallock.

When they moved in, their Croom neighbours brought them a pie, and they have been warmly welcomed into the community.

Svitlana Kirsan and Iryna Kucher with customers, Breda Kelly, Kilfinane and Manuela Santorum PICTURE: ADRIAN BUTLER

In February 2022, the two friends had won a trip to the Dominican Republic at a work party.

“It was the vacation of our dreams, we had a normal life, left our children and with a small suitcase of holiday clothes took a taxi to the airport. When we were there, Svitlana's daughter was in Kiev and she sent a message saying 'we are bombed' - we just started to cry, we couldn't control it,” Ms Kucher recalled.

She said that she tries not to watch the news, because it is too hard. Ms Kucher's son has asthma and was excused from military duty and now lives in London.

The day after their neighbourhood was bombed, he got married and soon after left the country.

“I remember watching the news and seeing a house near mine was bombed and 42 people had died,” Ms Kucher said.

However, Ms Kirsan's son and mother are both still in Ukraine and she said: “I have to watch it - I have to know.”

Her mother is 84 and refuses to leave, while her son is 30 and men between the ages of 25 and 60 cannot leave the country, as they can be conscripted to the army.

She is on high alert for news from home, she watches the news and reads anything she can when she wakes in the morning, before going to bed, and even in the middle of the night.

When they arrived first to Limerick City, before moving to Croom, both women did FET courses in business, barista skills and pastry courses, as well as English classes and HACCP courses in food safety and hygiene.

Ms Kucher laughs as she remembers thinking she was quite fluent in English until she came here.

“In Ukraine, I thought I spoke English, when I went on business to Egypt, Turkey or America, my English was enough, we chose Ireland because we could speak the language.

“Once I got here, I realised it was really hard, I spent three or four hours each day studying - it really brought me down to earth. If I do something I always try my best - to be the best.”

Since they opened The Horseshoe Cafe in Kilmallock, they have built up loyal customers, one of whom comes in up to three times a day.

“This work is really good for the soul, there are a lot of nice people here. We love and know 90% of the people who come in here,” Ms Kucher said.

Ms Kucher remembers back when she had a high-powered CEO role that, after a tough day, she cried to her friend and said she wished she could just bake gingerbread all day.

Looking at the cafe, with a fond smile, she said that maybe she is living the dream now, but she didn't know that before.

Throughout the interview, customers were warmly welcomed to the cafe.

Limerick is home now and for both women, they shed a tear as they said: “The Ukraine we left doesn't exist anymore - our past life doesn't exist anymore. It's now totally another place. It's so hard to lose something, we have a pain in our hearts.

“We work hard, long days, but we love the people and they have welcomed us.”