Convoy departs from Cork City Hall with five artic trailers full of aid for Ukraine

A truck driver was presented with the Lord Mayor’s pin as a goodwill gesture as ten volunteer drivers departed from Cork City Hall in a convoy with aid for Ukraine.

The drivers departed from Cork City Hall on Tuesday afternoon with five artic trailers full of aid for the Ukrainian people. 

The drivers will make the long journey to Poland via ferry to France and onwards then by motorway to the Ukraine border.

Donations were collected in recent days by the Bus Workers Charity Fund, The Greater Chernobyl Cause, Goggins Hill National School in Ballinhassig, and the MTU Cork Campus.

Aid including food, clothing, medical supplies, and equipment was donated by people all over Cork city and the county. 

The substantial amount of donations had been stored in Road Trans Warehouse in Little Island prior to its departure.

The convoy team received a fond farewell from the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher who said the people of Cork city and county are behind them. 

“I was delighted to see them off. The generosity from the Cork people has been amazing. The people of Cork have come out in their droves."

"Five trucks full to the brim are heading for the Ukrainian border. This humanitarian aid will help the Ukrainian people,” he said.

Cllr Kelleher said he presented the head driver Henry Quinn with the Lord Mayor’s pin to keep him and his team safe during their humanitarian trip. 

“I gave the head driver Henry the Lord Mayor’s pin to keep him safe. The city is behind them,” he added.

The MTU Cork Campus played a big part in the recent collection of aid for Ukraine. 

Finbarr Sheehan who is a lecturer in MTU said the aid will be transported directly into Ukraine. 

“Aid was collected all over the city and county and it was all brought to Road Trans Warehouse in Little Island. We did a collection over several days in MTU with students and staff members all contributing.

“There is so much good work going on from so many people throughout the country. It is nice to contribute. The drivers are very experienced. The aid is going to the border, and it will be transported directly into Ukraine,” he added.