Red Cross volunteers at Cork Airport assist those fleeing Ukraine

The organisation has already helped more than 150 people fleeing the war in Europe at Cork Airport and Shannon Airport

Ethna McCarthy and Martina Lyne, Irish Red Cross volunteers in Cork Airport, with some of the provisions they have for Ukrainian refugees arriving in the airport.

Red Cross volunteers have been waiting at Cork and Shannon Airports and Rosslare Ferry Port to help people fleeing Ukraine.

The Red Cross will be at Dublin Airport from Monday and it is also prepared to respond at Dublin Ferry Port.

Through Cork and Shannon Airport, the Red Cross has already helped more than 150 people fleeing war in Europe.

Ted Noonan, volunteer coordinator for the Red Cross at Cork Airport, said that volunteers are at the airport for flights coming from Poland — currently on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Four Red Cross volunteers were waiting on the flight from Gdansk on Saturday night. Although no refugees arrived this time, on other nights, the volunteers can be there helping people until 3am.

“I never thought in my 50 years with Red Cross that I would be dealing with warfare.

“It’s been very humbling,” Mr Noonan said.

We’ve seen on TV what’s been happening in Ukraine but these people arriving in have lived through it.

“We’ve had four volunteers at the airport for all the Polish flights since March 10. We offer them refreshments, personal hygiene products, and try to help them relax.

“We provide baby food, nappies, and cuddly toys for the children. Seeing that brings a smile to their faces.

“People arriving are often very stressed and nervous. They’ve been through an awful lot. Some of them have no English.

“But our Red Cross emblem is international. People recognise it. They may have seen people in Red Cross uniforms when they were boarding the plane and then they see the same uniform on arrival.

“Some people are going to hosts in Ireland and others are seeking asylum. We don’t know how many people will arrive until the flight comes in. 

“They’re a lovely people. Very kind, very friendly." 

They’re very reluctant to take anything, you have to coax them to take help.

“We stay with them until they get into their buses to take them to their accommodation. It could be a hotel in Limerick, Dublin, Kerry or Cork.” 

He said that there are currently 1,000 Red Cross members across Cork city and county and new recruits are always welcome.

New volunteers can sign up at RedCross.ie to be linked with their nearest branch.

Red Cross volunteers were first deployed at Shannon Airport in early March. File Picture

Aiden Lonergan, volunteer national director of community support with the Red Cross, said that their volunteers were first deployed to Shannon Airport in early March, followed by Cork Airport a few days later.

They have helped more than 150 Ukrainian refugees between these two airports so far.

Between three and five volunteers are stationed at each airport or ferry port to support Ukrainians arriving, providing tea, water, fruit, information in Ukrainian about Irish services, gifts to entertain the children throughout the wait, and psychological first aid for those who need it. 

Volunteer efforts

He said volunteers have been largely managing to communicate through the refugees’ own English skills and through Google Translate and some documents translated in Ukrainian.

“We wait with them until the process is completed and they’re brought to transport to their accommodation,” Mr Lonergan said.

"Some people arrive to stay with people they know in Ireland but others must rely on the State.

“All of this work is done by volunteers.

“People’s demeanour can vary. You know they’ve been through a journey. Some people need time to reflect. Some people cope very well." 

The kids, by and large, are in good spirits. But some people get distressed and need quiet time. We have trained personnel to provide psychological first aid.

“We stay with them and accompany them while they’re in the airport. 

"It provides that comfort and reassurance to people to know that they’re not alone. Particularly if people are arriving at night, it’s good for them to know that they won’t be sleeping in the airport.” 

Volunteers are also on hand at Rosslare Port. 

Red Cross volunteers have been mostly responding to flights from Poland and Hungary. In Cork Airport, Red Cross personnel are located just after immigration so that they can immediately provide support as people pass through.

Responding to predictions that 10,000 people fleeing Ukraine could arrive into Cork over the coming weeks, he said: “As long as people are coming in from these areas, we’ll try to ensure that we have the personnel to help them.” 

More than 20,000 people in Ireland have pledged accommodation through the Red Cross to house Ukrainian refugees. 

Approximately 70% of that was for shared accommodation so the Red Cross is working through the 30% of private, own door accommodation first, carrying out all necessary checks and matching those places with Ukrainians who are desperately in need of it, Mr Lonergan said.

Almost all Ukrainians arriving are women, children and the elderly, he said.

Cheap flights

Wojciech Bialek, CEO of Together Razem, a Polish community organisation in Cork, said that Ukrainian refugees are finding cheaper flights into Cork and Shannon and more people are now coming to these southern and western regions.

He has hired a Ukrainian speaker to help new arrivals and they are setting up English classes for them.

“English classes are the first step towards basic integration. We’re also providing basic orientation so people know where their local garda station is, where the shop is,” Mr Balek said.

“From the 4th of March, most people were arriving to family or friends in Ireland but now people are arriving with no family connections. They’re arriving into hotels and they need more support.

“We were able to get some Ukrainian refugees involved in the St Patrick’s Day Parade. They carried the Ukrainian flag. They were so happy to be involved.”