A charity has given its 2,000th refurbished bicycle to people who have fled the war in Ukraine in a bid to welcome them to Ireland.
The Good Bike Project, which was established by Paul McQuaid of River Cycles in Dublin City Centre, hit the target today, saying it is a symbol of ordinary Irish people's ongoing openness to new arrivals to Ireland.
Speaking to RTÉ News, Mr McQuaid said the project began early last year when he was asked by a friend to help find some bicycles for a young Ukrainian family who had just arrived in Ireland.
After witnessing how much the gift meant to the family, Mr McQuaid - whose family is well-known in the cycling community - said he decided to do what he could to help people in greater need.
"A year and a half ago I got a text message from a friend saying there was a Ukrainian lady who had just arrived at Dublin Airport and needed bicycles.
"So I texted this lady and said I would give her those bicycles.
"Three days later I took those bicycles out to the airport and the reaction from those kids faces and from the mother, it was a profound experience and I knew we had to do something bigger."
Mr McQuaid said the group "initially set a target of [giving] 100 bikes", a figure he said has long been past, with the 2,000th bicycle being handed over today.
"The amount of messages we get from these Ukrainian people, mostly women with their children, to say that these bikes have made a profound difference in their lives, a huge difference in their lives.
"There's no doubt about it, these bikes are making a huge difference in these people's lives.
"If you have a bike that's lying in your garage or end of your garden, we do prefer dust to rust, but we're not afraid of a bit of rust as well, get it to us because we will get it rejuvenated and to Ukrainians and other refugees as well," he said.
The 2,000th bicycle was given to Karina Tarasova, a 16-year-old who arrived in Ireland from Ukraine a year ago.
Speaking at the event, Karina said: "It's [the bicycle] important to me because a bike helps how I go to school, because I'm walking or wait for a bus and Luas, it's too long. It makes my life more easier to have a bike.
"I'm really happy to receive it, thank you so much."
Also at the event was Liam O'Dwyer, migration advisor for the Irish Red Cross, who said having a bicycle is a simple but important gift for new arrivals to Ireland - both from Ukraine and from other countries.
"They're vital actually, because so many people from Ukraine have found accommodation in pledged accommodation or in accommodation centres outside of major cities.
"So many are also going to school, 17,000 in school, all of the people who've found employment and don't have cars and need access to the employment and education, and it's part of integration that people have that access.
"So that's why the Red Cross was so keen to support the project," he said.
Among the ambassadors to Ireland who attended the event were those from Canada, Denmark, Poland, Moldova and the US, with US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin saying the project shows that "when people come together, they do good things".
"This was a wonderful endeavour set up by Paul McQuaid, and he has shown what it means to be a good community partner.
"I'm very happy to say the US embassy has supported this project and donated bikes to it.
"It just shows that when people come together, they do good things," Ambassador Cronin said.
