A kind-hearted grandma has opened her home to four Ukrainians fleeing war.
Irishwoman Phyllis McDonagh has an apron that hangs in her kitchen and reads “World’s Greatest Hostess”.
When refugees began fleeing war-torn Ukraine, it seemed inevitable that the 87-year-old would help.
Since the invasion began, four Ukrainians have found a new home in her Dublin house.
Viktoria Kasianenko, 39, was driven with her four-year-old daughter Barbara Yevlakhova and step-daughter Anna Yevlakhova, 32, to join her husband Yury, 58, in the capital.
Yury has been in Dublin since September working as a watchmaker for Mrs McDonagh's son.
Over the course of five days they travelled from the bombarded city of Kharkiv in the north east to Lviv in the west.
From there they moved into Poland and then across the rest of the continent to the Republic of Ireland, where 7,000 Ukrainian refugees have now found shelter.
The family have had to leave relatives and friends at home, including Viktoria's father.
“From the first days, the bombs were falling and we heard the shooting,” Viktoria said.
Like thousands of others, the trio were forced to hide in basements as soon as sirens began to blare to announce incoming Russian shelling.
“We were like this for a few days,” she said.
“One morning, we woke up and we decided... we were in the basement and we decided we cannot do it anymore.”
The three went to a train station to escape but found it “completely full”.
Viktoria said: “We didn’t manage to get on the train, and then we decided we’re going to sleep on the train station and just to find any way to get out of there.”
From Poland, a Scottish woman criss-crossing the continent to help Ukrainian refugees drove them all the way to Ireland.
While they are now safe, Viktoria and Anna struggle to describe the fear they have for their country.
“First of all, of course we are happy that they are now in a safe place," Viktoria said.
"And we are very grateful to the family for hosting us now in Ireland. We can feel the support from everyone, from all the family members.
“We are sad and there’s no words can explain how we feel because we left absolutely everything there.
“Nobody knows what to expect and when we’re going to be able to move back.
“Of course, it’s the first and the main wish to go back to Ukraine and to see our family and friends and relatives. But nobody knows what to expect.”
Barbara, who is not yet in school, is adjusting to her new surroundings.
Viktoria thinks the youngster has become a decade older since the war began on February 24.
“She understands everything and she watches the news. She understands what it going on and why we left,” she said.
The family are grateful to Ireland for the help and say the Government is doing all it can.
While Anna and Viktoria say they want to work and somewhere to live, the next few weeks are full of uncertainty.
“In the near future, we would like to be able to rent our own apartments so we will not be sitting on the neck of people,” Viktoria said.
The plan is to create a “normal life” in Ireland and to be ready to return to Ukraine whenever it is safe.
Mrs McDonagh is in no rush to see her guests leave, even though their lack of language in common means they communicate using an app.
The Dubliner has six children, 17 grandchildren and in years gone by hosted French and Spanish students.
“It’s grand,” she said of taking in the family.
“The way I think of it, if my children were over there, wouldn’t you love somebody to mind them?”
