Richard Hogan: We must support displaced Ukrainians, especially the children

We have a duty of care to make sure that those coming into our community are safe

Richard Hogan: The vast majority of displaced Ukrainians coming into Ireland are women and children.

There is nothing more exciting than a blank page. The endless opportunity to articulate the chaos of the inner world. The potential to reach down into the rag and bone shop of the heart and from the depths of the human condition, discover a truth. I love teaching English, sharing the ideas of poets and writers with eager young minds has always brought me joy. I love personal writing classes too, because you get to hear the idealism and passion of the teenage soul. Their world is unvarnished and bare. 

Recently in one of my essay writing classes, I asked the students to recall an important moment from their childhood. It’s an exercise in personal writing and reflection. At first, the students are a little guarded but eventually, they get into it and let themselves go. As one student read his early memory, he recalled a time when he arrived to Ireland as an immigrant. No English. He couldn’t comprehend what the other students were saying so his voice fell silent. For months, he said nothing. He delineated a very solitary time of isolation and silence. The class was engrossed as he illuminated a difficult early moment in his formation.