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SAFE First refugees arrive in Cavan having left ‘everything’ behind

“Thank you” was the simple message from the first Ukrainian refugees arriving to Cavan, seeking sanctuary from the ongoing war back home.

The dozens who landed in the past week are from the central Ukrainian region, bordering the Dnieper River, an area that has come under increased bombardment by Russian forces.

While safe now, the toll of what they’ve left behind, not to mention the horrors seen, weigh heavy.

They’re the wives and children of Ukrainian men living and working locally in Cavan for many years, at local meat factories - Liffey Meats in Ballyjamesduff and McCarren & Company Limited in Cavan Town.

Both companies played a critical role in securing the new arrivals’ safe passage, the latter even paying the cost of their flights here to Ireland.

Both local firms have also assisted the refugees in engaging with the Department of Social Protection to access PPS numbers and supports, and with child and family agency, Tusla, about school placements for the children.

Speaking through an interpreter, a group of almost two dozen tell the Celt how some had travelled for close to three days to make it to the relative protection of the Polish border. The youngest of the group the Celt speaks with is just 18 months, carried still in his mother’s arms, and bemused by his new surroundings.

“They’re happy to be here,” says Renata, translating on the group’s behalf.

“Three days she travelled,” says Rentata of one woman with her arms protectively around two small children. “Walking, 25 hours on a train, then a bus, and finally a plane.”

They have, the translator confirms, left “everything” behind.

“Homes, parents, grandparents, everything.”

Most have family who have remained to try and fend off the invading Russian forces.

“They feel peace,” interprets Renata when asked how the group feels being here now in Cavan.

Peadar Harten is General Manager at McCarren’s in Cavan Town.

They have close to 30 Ukrainian members of staff and have, thus far, been able to allocate housing to seven Ukranian families “with more in the pipeline”.

“We’re using our own accommodation, which is difficult, and we’re looking for additional accommodation as well to help with [demand]. So far we’ve been okay,” explains Mr Harten. “But getting them across, and out of Ukraine, that’s the biggest problem right now. Some of the people we have working for us, their families are living in cities or areas in the East of the country, and they’re having to use humanitarian corridors to get out. That’s not always easy, as the news has shown. Some of their families have been living in bomb shelters since this all started, and had to wait for a break in the bombing before they could get across the border [into Poland].”

The majority of McCarren’s staff are Eastern European, with some Polish colleagues even volunteering their homes to house families of fellow workers as a stop-gap once they get across the border.

McCarren’s owners, Kepak, are also one of several Irish companies to make a sizeable financial donation to UNICEF’s Ukraine humanitarian fund.

200 properties offered in Cavan

The Red Cross is the central point for all offers of assistance of accommodation, and to date more than 200 addresses in Cavan have been registered to take in Ukrainian refugees. In total close to 15,000 addresses have been registered with the Red Cross, with the government saying Ireland could eventually host up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, something Taoiseach Micheál Martin described as “an enormous challenge, the scale of which we’ve never dealt with before”.

Liffey Meats meanwhile has around 40 Ukrainian staff.

Anthony Lyons, HR manager and health & safety supervisor, says the Ballyjamesduff company has provided staff with the required time off to make arrangements after Ireland brought forward temporary protection measures allowing Ukrainians to enter visa-free, and to stay for up to three years.

“Anything you can do to help, isn’t that it?” he says.

Last week the factory welcomed close to 30 wives and children of workers. “The youngest I’ve seen is two years old. But when you see the families, they’re happy to be here, happy to be reunited, but even still, it’s a big upheaval and there’s no doubt they’d much rather be back home. One of the lads, he went over and came back with his three kids. His wife has stayed on to work with the Red Cross. It’s hard for families. It’s not easy times.”

Cavan County Council says it is “following the guidance” provided by Government departments regarding the intake of Ukrainian refugees.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is involved in cross-government discussions to develop “short and long-term” responses that meet Ireland’s obligations under the Temporary Protection Directive, including in respect of health, social protection, education and accommodation and housing.