Ukrainian student ‘feels really lucky’ as she opens up fresh start in Ireland

A UKRAINIAN refugee “feels really lucky” after a big-hearted family opened their doors to give her a new life.

Daria Bondar fled her home country in 2022 after the war with Russia broke out.

Fleeing to Ireland, Daria had been living in the Radisson Blu hotel in Limerick, before asking the Irish Red Cross to help her find accommodation.

And they matched her with Margaret Quinn and her family in Dublin, who had signed up to let out a spare room.

The 29-year-old told the Irish Sun: “I am from Kharkiv, which is really close to the Russian border, so the situation is bad right now. I came to Ireland two years ago.

“First of all, I learned English, went to college, found a job, and now I live with this gorgeous woman, Margaret, in her house.”

She enrolled on a ­fashion buying, styling and visual merchandising course at Sallynoggin ­college, while she is also working.

It is very different to the life Daria left behind. Her mum and sister went to Poland, while her uncle and brother had to stay in Ukraine.

Recalling the beginning of the war, she said: “It was terrible because we slept in the underground for three nights.

“We lived in a twelfth floor flat. So when aeroplanes started to fly above the roof, our walls were shaking.

“We were so afraid. But after spending a few nights in the underground we decided to leave.”

The Irish Red Cross has a number of properties that Irish people have given for the use of refugees — from vacant properties to rooms in a house.

Once a refugee’s free state accommodation has finished, they can apply to the organisation for housing.

For those letting their rooms, they receive a fee of €800 per home, an incentive that is due to end next March, which worries the Irish Red Cross.

Daria said she is “really” happy to be here with her new family, calling Margaret’s son Dermot “like her older brother.

“I feel so lucky I was able to get this accommodation, I’m grateful to Ireland, it’s such a beautiful country, I like Irish people, Irish weather, I’d like to live here.”

Before coming to Ireland, Daria worked as a freelance fashion ­stylist and a department store shop assistant back home, and was actively working on getting a better grasp on the English language.

She now has a job in Ireland working as a night porter in a hotel, and she is very grateful, explaining: “I’m happy that I’m able to work and pay taxes in this country.”

Speaking about how her life has changed, Daria explained: “I’ve found friends and Irish family and I feel much more support in my life.

“It makes me stronger every day, it makes me even more grateful for everything that has happened to me because these things that have happened to me were terrible, but not everyone has been as lucky as me.”

Margaret added: “It’s great for me. I couldn’t wish for a better person to be around me.

“Daria is great. She’s been fun. She’s very genuine. She helps out here and there when she can. We sit, we have coffee. She’s just like part of the furniture.”

For information on how you can help refugees fleeing the war to come to Ireland, go to the Irish Red Cross Register of Pledges.