Ukrainian sees the sea for first time, thanks to Limerick woman Áine

ÁINE O'Farrell Hellard has two small children and is in the middle of renovating her house but, like so many, she has welcomed a Ukrainian into her home. 

Áine, originally from the Ennis Road, lives in Ballybunion overlooking the ladies beach. She and husband Joe, of the popular Exchange bar, have two children, Michael, aged 4 and Christopher, 2.

They live in an old B&B that they are transforming into their home. But despite all she has going on she didn’t hesitate for a second about welcoming somebody, she has never met, into their lives.

“It really affected me. I was very emotional. I don't know why, maybe because I'm a mom but I just saw all these images on the television and it just really, really affected me.

“I just felt so helpless. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to have no place to go and the kids having no toys. I just thought there is very little that I can do personally in the grand scheme of things but we have bedrooms so why not be able to open up a bedroom to somebody to give them a roof over their heads? So that's what we did,” said Áine.

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She pledged her home on eight websites and on Ireland Supporting Ukrainians Facebook pages. But the lady they took in was through a friend. Sean Dineen, from Ballylongford, flew to Poland and brought a family home to Kerry.

Aine and Joe have welcomed that family’s grandmother

“The original accommodation they had for her fell through and they just asked to know would we take the granny. She’s a retired cardiologist called Ira, pronounced Era, from Karkiv. She had two suitcases with her. She spent three days in a community centre as a shelter while she was waiting to get a flight.

“It’s so sad to see so many people displaced. I couldn't imagine it. She came into Shannon Airport at 11.30pm on St Patrick's Day and arrived to us at 2.30am,” said Áine.

The following morning Ira saw the sea for the first time.

“She couldn't believe it, all she has to do is look out the window and see the ocean. I suppose we take it for granted. She loves it and has been for walks on the beach.  She's making borsch at the moment.  She's very much settled now.

“She told me today she nearly died in December 2020 from Covid. She was in intensive care for five days and she said God saved her then and she said God saved her now as well,” said Áine.

Despite Ira having no English they are still able to communicate and having her family close by is a big help to her.

What would Aine  tell people who are thinking about taking in someone?

“Open up your homes, it'll be the most rewarding thing you can do,” said Aine, who accepts that there are anxieties that go with it.

“You don't know who you are opening up your home to. You don't know if you are putting your family in jeopardy but you can overthink things as well. You can spend a lot of time thinking ‘what if, what if’.  One of the biggest reasons I opened my door was the Irish people are being accepted the world over and I just felt that people need to repay the favour now,” she concluded.