IN PICTURES: Laois trucks heading off to Ukraine

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The outpouring of generosity from the people of Laois “exceeded our wildest expectations,” a haulier revealed. 

Hyland Transport’s Ger Hyland departed on Monday morning, March 21 from his Rosenallis haulage headquarters following a busy weekend preparing for the almost 3,000 km trip to the Ukrainian border in Poland. 

He was joined by up to 70 volunteers from the community and local GAA clubs as deliveries arrived from all over Laois on Saturday. “Things couldn’t have gone better, the support was unbelievable,” he remarked. 

He was particularly delighted to have received a phone call from the wife of Vadym Binko, a Ukrainian national living in Laois who returned to Ukraine to fight against Russia. Mr Binko is now believed to be on the front line in Kyiv.

“She rang us to thank us for what we had done and to express the Ukrainian people’s gratitude,” he explained. She told Mr Hyland that the Ukrainian people can’t believe the level of support the Irish have shown.

Mr Hyland left his Rosenallis base at around 11am. The two fully loaded trucks are due to meet with a further four lorries in Dublin before travelling in convoy to Rosslare where they will catch a ferry to Dunkirk.

Representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy in Dublin are expected to meet the convoy before it departs. 

The final leg of the journey across Europe will cover up to 2,000 km.  Mr Hyland said ferry operator DFDS has sponsored their crossing and the toll operators are giving them free passage.