A convoy of 25 trucks carrying 500 tonnes of aid has left Dublin Port on the first leg of a long journey to the border of Ukraine.
The 'Aid From Ireland' convoy is believed to be the largest such convoy ever to leave Ireland.
It is an all-island initiative with trucks provided by transport operators based north and south of the border.
Transport and logistics companies are providing warehouse space and sorting staff free of charge, and many drivers are making the trip as unpaid volunteers.
Irish Ferries also donated shipping and the trucks departed on the 4pm sailing from Dublin to Cherbourg in France.
Companies have sponsored much of the aid on board, for example Boojum are sending 600 survival kits with flash lamps and warm clothing, Flahavans have donated 10,000kg of porridge and Hibernian Healthcare have given six pallets of first aid and medical supplies.
There have also been significant donations from members of the public, through collections at schools and via community appeals across the country.
The truck operators involved in the convoy include Caulfield Transport, Hendrick European, Virginia International Logistics, DSV, JMC, McCulla Refrigerated Transport, Derry Transport and Blair European Transport.
The journey to the southern Polish border with Ukraine is expected to take up to four and a half days, where the aid will be distributed to centres on both sides of the border.
Four of the drivers are also planning on driving trucks across the border into Ukraine itself.
The aid was put together by volunteers from Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery and by the driving force behind the Penny Dinners charity in the city, Caitriona Twomey.
They had originally planned to bring just one van of aid to Ukraine, but were forced to revise their plans several times due to the public response to their appeal for support.
Additional reporting Paschal Sheehy
