Refugees and asylum seekers in Ennis, Co Clare celebrated their home away from home this weekend ahead of World Refugee Day.
Eimear O'Connor, from the Clare Immigrant Support Centre said there has been a lot of controversy around asylum seekers coming to Co Clare in recent at times, but they want to show the positive side of refugees and how they integrate in the community.
"They've come in from the outlying towns and villages, from some of the direct provision centres where the accommodation is tough and we're the in the biggest accommodation crisis in the history of the State," Ms O’Connor said.
"It's not any different from refugees. Contrary to popular opinion, those that are living in hotels are very crowded. Also, they're not all in single bedrooms, with en suites. It's far from it.
"So it's nice to do something nice and something to let them let their hair down and mix and meet other people."
Some people have been protesting in the county over the housing of asylum seekers at the Magowna House Hotel near Inch. Ms O’Connor feels more education is needed.
"Most people in Claire are extremely welcoming to refugees, and I think those that aren't often suffer from misinformation. And there's an education piece I think that needs to be done for the wider community to enlighten them, if you like, and explain why people are here, particularly around the IP [International Protection] applicants," she said.
"And to explain why they're here, how they've arrived in the country because, you know, the crowds that don't welcome refugees are a minority.
"I think it's an education piece that really needs to happen when you're dealing with the IP applicants. Nobody knows the trauma that they have faced either in getting here or in their countries, countries of our age and before they set off.
"What happened in Greece during the week was just horrendous, it could have been prevented, which is the really sad part about it," Ms O’Connor added.
Irena who attended the celebration, has been in Ireland for over a year now and has since opened a dance studio in Ennis for children.
"My husband, he is a surgeon. He is in Ukraine and he is working in the hospital, he is helping the Ukrainian military," she said.
"The rest of my family are in Ireland but I’m without my husband."
The mayor of Ennis, Councilor Ann Norton, says the community will always remain open to refugees.
"It is such a pity that we have been featured in a negative way, but I think something like today showing that the community are open, that we have always been a very caring community and that people are always welcome," Ms Norton said.
"We need to be an open community and welcome people. We have emigrated for many, many years and we wanted people to open their arms for us, and now we have to return that to people that are coming from other countries."
