Ukraine to Rosslare: Polina to celebrate eighth birthday in Ireland as father stays behind to fight

Trevor Geraghty from Gorey, Co Wexford with Elizaveta Shyshorina and her children, Oleksandr 15, Kyrylo 13, and Polina 8 from Zaporizhzhia. Picture: Patrick Browne

Polina Shyshorina celebrates her eighth birthday in Ireland this week instead of at home in Ukraine having fled across Europe to avoid the war, helped by a Co Wexford man. 

The child travelled with her mother Elizaveta, brothers Oleksandr, 15, and Kyrylo, 13, after leaving the town of Zaporizhzhia when the Russian army started shelling in eastern Ukraine. The town has since made headlines following a Russian attack on its nuclear power station.