Yana (15) one of the first Ukrainian refugees to enrol in an Irish school 

Marcin Nowakowski, whose wife Ania brought the Kozar family from Shannon Airport to their new home in Ballina, Co Mayo, Khrystyna Kozar, Nadiia Kozar, Yana Kozar, Ania Nowakowska, and Michael Lowe, who — with wife Maggie — have taken in the Kozars.  Picture: Maggie Lowe

Yana Kozar is one of the million-plus refugees who have fled Ukraine. She started school in Co Mayo last Monday. 

Just last week, she had 30 minutes to leave her home as the Russian Army started bombing the airport next door to her home outside Lviv.

Leaving behind her parents and her brother, and with nothing but a small rucksack on her back, she was driven to the Polish border.

With her was her aunt Nadiia Kozar and her own daughter Khrystyna, also from Lviv.

Last Friday, they arrived in Shannon Airport where they were collected by one of a growing army of Polish volunteers and driven to their new home in Ballina, Co Mayo.

Adapting

On Monday, the 15-year-old became one of the first Ukrainian refugees to be enrolled in an Irish school, and there are more families on the way.

Maggie Lowe, who has taken in Yana, Nadiia and Khrystyna, said: “Yana has adapted to her new life very well.

“She is bearing up despite having to say goodbye to her home and to her family, and what she experienced in Ukraine.

“Her cousin Khrystyna is also bearing up, and so is Nadiia.” 

First day at school: Yana Kozar, 15, from Lviv, western Ukraine, who started school at Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, on Monday. Picture:  Maggie Lowe

Yana’s brother has had to stay in Ukraine as he is over 18 and of fighting age, as is her father, while her mother's nursing skills are needed in the face of the Russian bombardment. 

Nadiia’s husband, who is a water services contractor in Lviv, is also not allowed to leave.

Each night, he joins the rest of his neighbours in a bomb shelter.

Maggie, and her American husband Michael, met the Kozars through Dubliner Ciaran Murphy, who runs the Language Academy in Warsaw, in Poland.

He and a pal have been helping bring Ukrainian refugees over to Ireland.

He puts them up in his house, raises funds for their flights and then arranges for them to get to Ireland.

For her part, Maggie now runs the Polonia & Ireland for Ukraine Free Bed and Help for Refugees from Ukraine Facebook page.

“Loads of people are heading to the border to offer accommodation to the refugees as they cross over at the crossing points,” Ciaran said.

“I went down to the border last week and picked up Nadiia, Khrystyna and Yana and they stayed with myself and my wife at our house and then we put them on a plane to Shannon Airport (last Thursday).

“There is lots of low-skilled work here in Warsaw, like waitressing but it is not very well paid.

“The Kozars will have a much better chance of making a go of things by going to Ireland.” 

Welcomed

Yana has received a warm welcome in her new school. 

John Mangan, Principal of Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, said: “Yana is an absolute lady.

“That is the way I would describe her. She's enjoying it and you know, it's amazing how she's blended in with the students.

“She's lovely.” 

Yana is in Transition year, and although not fluent in English, she has a good enough grasp of the language to get by.

She has also been helped by a parent who speaks Russian.

While there are already around 170 Ukrainian university students currently studying in Ireland, Yana is believed to be one of — if not the — first schoolchildren to be enrolled in an Irish secondary school since the war started.