New to the Parish

‘Try Ireland,’ they said. ‘Ireland? I’d never been there. It’s so far from Ukraine,’ I said

New to the Parish: Tetiana Schevchenko lives in Co Meath

‘The only thing I knew about Ireland was the songs from Eurovision and the sheep’

New to the Parish: Einat Caspi moved from Israel to Ireland in 2015

‘When I arrived here, I wanted to share my story with Irish people’

New to the Parish: Natalya Krasnenkova arrived in Ireland in March 2022 from Kyiv

‘I compare the Irish health service with Spain and I don’t know why Spanish people complain’

New to the Parish: Dr Yayicsia Escalona moved from Spain in 2017

‘We are learning the Cork accent and able to comprehend what people are saying’

New to the Parish: Ruchi Agrawal arrived from India in 2018

‘Ireland is a nice country, and people are friendly, but the accommodation problem is huge’

New to the Parish: Shakeeba Hamdam is originally from Afghanistan but lived in Pakistan for most of her life

‘When I stepped off the plane in Ireland, I felt like a bird who came out of a cage’

New to the Parish: Mahbooba Faiz lives in Tallow, Co Waterford

‘Moving to Ireland was more than a culture shock. It was a wake-up call’

New to the Parish: Huw Rees arrived from Wales in 2000

‘I’m happy to be in Ireland because it’s a woman-centred country’

New to the Parish: Maryam Moeim Mehr arrived from Iran in 2019 to be with her husband

‘I’d love to somehow find myself a spot here as a Bulgarian among this Irish crowd’

New to the Parish: Konstantin Stanchev arrived from Bulgaria in 2017

‘Irish people are too good — whenever you need help, they’re there for you’

New to the Parish: Hafiz Bilal Ahmed arrived in Ireland in 2019

‘We moved to Ireland because of the weather’: The Swedish couple who fell in love with west Cork

New to the Parish: Susanne and Daniel Svalefelt first arrived in Ireland in 1999, again in 2008 and for a third time in 2019

‘All I kept thinking was we had lost everything. I knew my life and my community would totally change’

New to the Parish: Dr Aziz Mohibbi and his family arrived from Afghanistan in 2021

‘Coming to Ireland, I thought as I had lived in London I didn’t need to worry about culture shock. I was very naive’

New to the Parish: Amanda Cardoso arrived from Finland in 2019

‘You accept there will be challenges in a new country. Living with 12 people in a three-bed house was mine’

'I really wanted to express myself as an artist' — New to the Parish: Alessandra Azevedo arrived from Brazil in 2015

‘I’m going to build the life that I want, because it’s possible in Ireland’

New to the Parish: Nabil Battikha arrived in Ireland from Syria in 2019

The German family who moved to Kerry after ‘just looking at Google Maps and searching for the nicest beach’

New to the Parish: Stephanie and Alex Gesswein arrived in Ireland in 2007

‘Being pregnant here has made me appreciate the good things Ireland has to offer’

New to the Parish: Martha De Haro arrived in Ireland from Mexico in 2021

‘In Citywest, I learned my husband had been injured in Ukraine. He died two weeks later’

New to the Parish: Valeriia Oliinyk and Olga and Alina Rudakova arrived from eastern Ukraine in 2022

A year in Cork has ‘helped heal my inner child that was hurt for so long’

New to the Parish: Jodean Remengesau arrived from Palau in Micronesia in 2021

‘I feel a big heart for the Irish people and I’m thankful for this. It gives me strength’

New to the Parish: Olena Domina and her children arrived in Galway from Ukraine in March 2022

‘I remember Irish tap water tasted so sweet — and the same with the potatoes: they were really tasty’

New to the Parish: Amulya Lal, who is from India, arrived in Ireland as a young architect 16 years ago

‘I’ve found freedom in Ireland. I’m enjoying being free’

New to the Parish: Njabulo Mnyandu arrived from South Africa in 2019

‘I’m so grateful we were in Ireland during Covid and not the States’

New to the Parish: Marisa Lanning arrived in Dublin in 2019

‘I can succeed as a woman in Ireland and be respected’

Ingy Girgis arrived from Egypt in 2015 and now lives in Killala, Co Mayo

‘People were telling me welcome so much, I thought this must be the friendliest airport ever’

Salma Ataya arrived in Ireland in 2016

‘We are a mixed-race family, and they don’t have many in Mullingar, but that’s fine. We’re not afraid to be one of the first’

New to the Parish: Singer Raimonda from Lithuania and chef Vimal from Mauritius live together in Mullingar

‘Visually, Dublin seemed very different to other parts of Europe, and it made me curious’

New to the Parish: Dr Venkatesh Kannan says he ended up in Ireland through ‘happenstance’

Violetta’s life ‘started with a war and now is ending with a war’

New to the Parish: Ukrainian grandmother Violetta Danyliuk arrived in Ireland in March

‘I love the vibe in Ireland. Even in the recession, people supported one another’

New to the Parish: Kasia Pluta arrived from Poland in 2006

‘I was doing underground work ... My Irish friends never knew I was undocumented’

Albert Bello arrived from Malawi in 2015

‘India prepared me for tough times but Ireland helped me to grow’

New to the Parish: Saroj Kapadne arrived in Ireland from India in 2019

She said ‘I’ve had a huge crush on you’ and kissed me. She was beaten to death

Beryl Ohas: ‘in Kenya, they tried to reform me from gayness. In Ireland I can be myself’

‘I’ve been to many cities in Ireland but Cork is always my favourite’

New to the Parish: Khaled Azrag arrived from Sudan in 2008

‘Living in Ireland has changed my life in a way that is so profound’

New to the Parish: Marlon Jimenez-Compton was persecuted as a gay man in Venezuela

Irish companies talk about ‘diversity, inclusion. But there’s only one black person on staff’

New to the parish: Campaigner Patricia Munatsi arrived from Zimbabwe in 2019

He banged our passports down and said ‘Not you people again’

New to the Parish: Donnah Vuma arrived from Zimbabwe in 2014

The first months in Ireland were a learning experience. It was a bit of hell

New to the Parish: Sebastian Antem and his family arrived from Hungary in 2018

‘My colleagues in Ireland made me feel like I’d always belonged to the team’

New to the Parish: Tripti Anil arrived from India in September 2021

‘I like how Irish people are proud of being Irish’

New to the Parish: Szymon Leszek arrived from Poland in 2006

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