Historic Offaly house warmly welcomes Ukrainian refugees

A historic house has opened its arms in welcome to 15 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the terror of the war in their homeland.

Loughton House near Moneygall was built in 1777 on lands owned by the Pepper family and is a magnificent building set in one hundred acres of park and woodland. The house also has several acres of beautiful formal gardens.

Its owners run part of the premises as a B&B and they were delighted to welcome in the refugees from Ukraine some weeks ago.

Ann Dillon, a Senior Executive Officer in Offaly County Council, told the June meeting of Birr Municipal District, that the Community Response Forum in the Community & Culture Section of Offaly County Council got in contact with the owners of Loughton and were met with a favourable response.

Ann said the Community Response Forum was established in 2020 to tackle the Covid crisis in Offaly. The Forum was wound up in Autumn 2021 and was reformed in March 2022 to tackle the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

Ann said the Forum helps the refugees with a number of issues, including the following issues: Sharing of information, Personal Public Service Numbers, Medical Cards, School Placements, Covid 19 Vaccinations, Needs Identification (SICAP), Accommodation, Essential Supplies, Integration Activities, Language Education, and Employment.

Cllr Peter Ormond praised the Forum for its excellent, essential, humanitarian work.

“However, I wish you'd told us earlier about the refugees' arrival in Loughton. People living in the area didn't know about it for a few days. We then gave the refugees a warmhearted welcome to Offaly, but we would have preferred to have given the welcome a few days earlier, when they first arrived. Perhaps let us know sooner next time.”

The councillor said he has met the refugees and found them to be very nice, decent people; but they had been through a traumatic period. He said they are being very well looked after in Loughton House.

Loughton House was previously owned by former Minister for Health James Reilly until a few years ago.

Cllr Ormond said it's expected that the refugees will stay at least six months in Loughton. “They are living in the outhouses,” he remarked, “and when I was there recently I was told that they are expecting another 25 refugees to arrive and to be allocated accommodation in the outhouses. I chatted with the refugees and they are doing great. They are very happy to be living in the peace and tranquillity of Loughton.”

Ann Dillon told the meeting that the approximate numbers of the Ukrainian refugees in Offaly are as follows: Tullamore 170; Birr 50; Portarlington 65; Moneygall 15; Rural Areas 50. Therefore, there is a total of 350 refugees in Offaly at the moment.