Milford awoke on Tuesday morning this week to the news that the town was to play host to 40 Ukrainian refugees. The families had arrived overnight, transported directly from Dublin after their processing on Monday evening. Most of the families have come from southern Ukraine, including the bombarded cities of Odesa, Melitopol and Kherson. 

The local community sprung into action to ensure all the needs of the new arrivals were being met, including the local schools, sports clubs and churches. School places were quickly found for the children and teenagers who had arrived overnight, with Milford NS and Mulroy College offering spaces. 

Milford & District Resource Centre was working with Donegal Local Development Company on Tuesday to do door-to-door needs assessments with each of the families, aided by a translator. It is believed that more refugees could arrive in the area in the coming weeks. 

“We are delighted to welcome these families to Milford and to Donegal” said Declan Meehan, manager of Milford & District Resource Centre. “These people have experienced the horrors of war and have been faced with extreme difficulty in finding safety in Ireland, travelling by land across the whole of Europe, so we are happy that they are now safe and provided for.” Many of the families had travelled by car from Ukraine through Russia, into Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, France and then Ireland. 

“The local community, in Milford and in our neighbouring towns, have been fantastic and there has been a really positive response to the arrivals” Meehan said. “We have had donations of money and essential items, offers of help and people springing into action to sort out school places. The main thing we need to support these people is money and so we would welcome any donations via our office in Milford to continue working with them and to ensure they are made feel as welcome as possible.”

The 22nd Golan Pad Walk will take place this Friday in Milford, starting at 5pm and leaving from the top of the town. Half of the proceeds raised from the 6.5km walk is in aid of supporting the Ukrainian refugees locally and everyone is encouraged to come out and support it. 

“The arrival of these refugees is likely the beginning of our own local experience of the current refugee situation and I am sure we, as a community in the wider Milford area, will not be found wanting in providing a huge Céad Míle Fáilte for our Ukrainian friends” Meehan concluded.