Local farmers and firms praised at Tipperary council meeting for 'extraordinary' aid mission to Ukraine

Caption Michael Dunne from Carrick-on-Suir, one of the volunteers who drove this jeep with a generator on board to Ukraine. Picture Mary Browne 

A massive humanitarian aid mission instigated by a Tipperary farmer has safely delivered its vital supplies including a fleet of jeeps, an ambulance, clothing, generators and medical supplies to war-torn Ukraine.

The up to 40 volunteers who drove out the huge convoy of aid to the Ukrainian border returned home last weekend.

Farm families and businesses in south Tipperary and just over the Waterford border dug deep and contributed vital supplies to the humanitarian aid.

They are among a large group of farmers and businesses from four counties who pooled their efforts to help needy families in the country ravaged by nearly a year of war.

Eighteen jeeps, an ambulance, 32 generators, thermal clothing and emergency medical supplies were delivered in person by the team of volunteers who drove them across the European continent to the Ukrainian border.

The aid effort involved dozens of farm families across Tirlán Co-op’s South Tipperary, West Waterford, East Cork and North Wexford local advisory committees.

Tribute was paid at Tipperary County Council’s meeting in Clonmel on Monday to the local farmers and firms involved in the humanitarian mission instigated by Paddy O’Donnell from Kilsheelan with support from his friend Joe Harty from An Rinn in Waterford and their extended network in the farmer owned co-op.

Clonmel Cllr John Fitzgerald lauded all involved in this “extraordinary” humanitarian mission.

He said they had “gone the extra mile” to bring the aid to Ukraine. He reported that not one of the jeeps got a puncture on the long journey to Ukraine.

While the aid wouldn’t change the course of the war, it gave those who received it a huge morale boost, the Fine Gael councillor added.

Both Paddy O'Donnell and Joe Harty had Ukrainian men working on their farms over the years and it was this connection to the country that prompted them to set up this humanitarian initiative.

 “These men didn’t just work with us, they ate with us, they stayed in our homes and they became part of the extended family,” Joe Harty explained.

“Paddy O’Donnell got in touch with me a few months back when he got a request for aid from friends in Ukraine.

“He went out in a donated Land Rover Freelander jeep in October with two other dairy farmers, Jack Walshe from Kilmacthomas in Waterford and Bill Stokes from Kilsheelan to suss things out, make sure donations which were being made via the Ukrainian army were going to worthy causes. It all checked out.

 “We got word before Christmas that they needed jeeps. Then they asked for generators and more recently, we got a call asking for thermal clothing and any medical supplies as the winter was kicking in and power supply was unreliable. We started off with 6 generators and that just grew and grew,” Mr Harty said.

 A generator fund was set up through the Tirlán branch in Dungarvan and family farm suppliers have to date donated €20,000 which has been used to purchase generators and vehicles. Others were donated, Paddy O’Donnell explained.

 “We didn’t want to be handling money so the account was set up through Tirlán and they managed it and they got generators for us at a great price.

“We’re particularly thankful to Barry Power and the team in Dungarvan for managing and overseeing everything. Other generators were donated.  Jeep donations flooded in. With some of the money left over, we also bought an ambulance.

 “This has been a huge team effort involving tillage, drystock and dairy farmers. Some of these families bought jeeps out of their own pockets or did up surplus vehicles which were then donated.

“Word went out in our discussion groups and farmers were not found wanting. It’s been a good year for farm prices and everyone was very keen to give something back,” Mr O’Donnell added.

 The duo were among up to 40 volunteers who drove in convoy and brought the vehicles and supplies by ferry to Cherbourg last week.

They travelled through France, Germany Austria, Hungary and Slovakia before reaching the Ukrainian border last weekend. There they met their contacts in the Ukrainian army who will distribute the donations to those most in need. All the volunteers paid their own way to Ukraine and flew home at their own expense.

  “We are most thankful to all the companies, all the farm families and all of the individuals who have been so generous,” Joe Harty concluded.

Among the companies, groups and individuals to support the aid effort were: Quality Recycling, Ormond Stores, Kilsheelan; OD Agri, PSD Agri, Clonmel Show, Strangs Garage, Kilsheelan; O’Donnell’s Crisps, Clonmel Waste, Medite, Clonmel Machinery, P&J Services, Coolmore, ABP Foods, Cahir;  O’Mahony Scania, Maher Plant, Suir Engineering, Mark Dwan BEOFS, AQL Industrial Coatings, Surehaul, Tom Beresford & Sons, Dungarvan; Centenary Co-op; East Cork Oil; Industrial and Agri Supplies, Dungarvan; Clem Jacob Tool Hire, Tirlán, O’Donnell Agri, Taghmon; Dungarvan Tyre Centre, Enrich Environmental, Hazport Ireland, Mitchelstown Transport, Ashfield Safety, Hogan Drain Cleaning, Hanntec Security; Beasley Family, AQS Environmental Solutions, HACI Industrial Hosing, Ryan Group, Denis Kinnane Honda, RPM Motors, Mossy Hughes, Mike English and family, Dominic Ellickson, MW Hire, Dick Boland Oil,  Ryan Roche, John Hennebry, Michael Hahessy, Ann and Martin Flynn, Tom and Marcella Hahessy, Pat Sheehan Sawmills, Jim Kirwin and many very generous farmer groups and individual farmers.

Below the volunteers and aid convoy before they left Ireland last week