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“I COULDN’T BRING many possessions because we fled Kyiv with a baby, which made it impossible to carry much – but I did bring our family’s embroidered shirts, called Vyshyvanka in Ukrainian.
“My son has one with blue embroidery, and mine features poppies with black ornament.”
As Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day, many Ukrainians here are marking their third anniversary of fleeing their homeland around now.
Almost seven million refugees from the war were recorded globally last month, and over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland since the start of the conflict in February 2022.
We spoke to Ukrainians around the country about the items they had managed to salvage as they fled their homes, and the connections they’ve been making with their communities in Ireland.
Kateryna, from Galway, who is quoted above, was among a number of women who spoke of the traditional embroidered shirts.
“We wear them on Vyshyvanka Day, Ukrainian Independence Day, and my son’s birthday,” she said.
The shirts weren’t worn on 24 February, the day that marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“That’s a day of sorrow and grief, so I dress in black. Embroidery is our national symbol and represents happiness.”
Not all Ukrainians could bring meaningful possessions in their escape from war. As Valeria from Wexford explains:
“We were saving our lives, not things or material goods.”
Oleg from Dublin traveled light as well: “I don’t have talismans from Ukraine. I arrived on an economy flight with no baggage.”
Kateryna, the woman who spoke of her treasured embroidered shirts, said she couldn’t bring too many possessions “because we fled Kyiv with a baby, which made it impossible to carry much”.
Liia from Cork made similar choices: “I brought with me embroidered shirts – for myself and my child – and a Ukrainian flag. These represent my identity.”
For Maryna Bilash from Donegal, the departure was meant to be temporary.
“Honestly, I thought I was leaving for just two weeks. I left Ukraine on 17 March, 2022, and didn’t even pack summer clothes. I feel sorrow for all the photos I left behind, especially my childhood pictures.”
Maryna said she was worried she may not be able to return to her home address.
“Russia has now passed laws allowing them to place other people in apartments that appear abandoned. This could influence my apartment in North Donetsk.”
Olga Labetskaya, now living in Kinsale, recalls her journey with dark humour:
“As we all joke – I came to Ireland with one suitcase, my child, and my post-traumatic stress disorder. Those were the only things I had.”
For many, building connections with both fellow Ukrainians and Irish locals has been crucial in their adaptation to life in Ireland.
Olga describes how the community sustains her: “Staying connected with people back home helps me hold on. I’ve been living in Ireland for two and a half years now, sharing my space with Ukrainians from across the country.”
Maryna has found connections through volunteering: “I’ve been doing it for a year and a half, visiting a 90-year-old Irish woman. I love talking with her, and my English improves through our conversations. She treats me wonderfully and looks forward to my visits.”
For Oleg, the journey has meant embracing a new cultural identity:
“We, Ukrainians living in Ireland, express our gratitude every day. Most of us try to adapt to all the Irish customs and find that your lifestyle suits us well. Three years ago, we knew little about Ireland. Now we know so much.”
For Ukrainian parents, children have become both a source of strength and a connection to their homeland.
“I draw strength from my son. When we arrived, he was six. Now he’s nine. I see how quickly he grows and changes, how he absorbs everything, including parts of our Ukrainian identity because he lives in a community — something very important to me,” Olga said.
“He’s learning Irish traditions too, but ever since his first year of school here, he still identifies as Ukrainian. In every school art project, he uses blue and yellow together to mark that he’s from Ukraine. This helps me hold on as well.”
She observes: “We arrived in Ireland deeply traumatised, and I think this trauma runs deeper than we can see today. But children are flexible and adaptive. They always find something that fascinates them, teaches them, and fills them with wonder. I see this in him, and I try to cultivate the same quality in myself.”
Kateryna draws inspiration from her compatriots:
“Ukrainian people embody incredible power and strength. We can stand against aggression while still making jokes and keeping our smiles. This Ukrainian characteristic inspires me too.
“Two years ago, a video appeared of a little boy singing a song that all Ukrainians know, and people were sharing his photos everywhere. I love that video — it gives me strength as well.”
As a journalist following these stories, I too have my connection to Ukraine. Unlike many Ukrainians who couldn’t bring meaningful possessions to Ireland, I have one special item.
It’s a handmade doll created by a Ukrainian woman whose husband is currently serving on the frontline. The doll resembles my daughter with her brown hair and eyes.
My daughter Kate graduated from a school in Vilnius, Lithuania last year, and one of the mothers made dolls for all the graduates. This handmade doll with a Ukrainian flag traveled with me from Lithuania to Ireland and now looks out my window in Galway.
The doll represents how small our world truly is and how many nations support Ukrainians. It shows we’re all connected by this cruel war. Not in cynicism, insults, and profanity, but in humanism, mutual respect, support, and solidarity.
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