AMONG A sea of Irish flags, shamrocks and fancy dress at the St Patrick's Parade in London today was a sole Ukrainian flag-holder reminding the crowds that lined the streets of events going on in eastern Europe.
Originally eleven grand marshals were selected for the parade, each having been a worker on the front line during the pandemic. In recent days, Natalia Lesyuk was selected to walk alongside the Taoiseach Micheál Martin and other representatives of the Irish community in London.
Having lived in London for 30 years, and being close friends with Irish family the Listons of Cavendish Homecare Professionals, she said she jumped at the chance to fly the Ukraine flag when she got the call from Mairead Liston.
"If I have to walk across Europe with this flag I would," Natalia said. "If someone manages to see a blue and yellow flag at the parade today, or a little bit of text about a Ukrainian person at the parade and what is going on in Ukraine, then that will be my job done."
The support she and the Ukrainian community have received from Irish people in London and in Ireland has been something she is overwhelmed by.
"What Ireland is currently doing for women and children who have fled their homes is amazing," she said. "They have opened not only their borders, but their hearts and their homes. Many of these families have left home and they will never be able to go back because they have lost everything. I'm a mother, a daughter, a sister, and I cannot even imagine how to explain to a child that they're not going to sleep today in their warm bed. If Ireland can provide that to a child; I just think it's incredible."
Natalia is from western Ukraine and still has family in the country. Her brother left Kyiv last weekend and is now staying in her mother's home in the western part of Ukraine, with another brother volunteering on the Ukrainian-Polish border.
"It's relatively safe, but after last night with the news of explosions near Lviv it's getting closer. So far they are not planning to leave yet. They want to stay there."
After walking through the parade and speaking to the Taoiseach and his wife Mary, Natalia said she was touched by his genuine interest in her family in Ukraine.
"The thing is, at this event people know a lot about Ukraine from the media, but what is touching is that people are talking to me about where I come from and what the situation with my family is," she explained.
"He was keen to find out about my family and if they are able to come over or whether they want to leave. His wife is amazing as well, we were talking the whole way through the parade and it's as if we knew each other for a really long time. Sometimes you feel a little bit uncomfortable surrounded by strangers at such a big event, but they were so welcoming and supportive."
Speaking at Trafalgar Square in front of thousands of people at the St Patrick's Festival organised by the Mayor of London's office, Martin paid tribute to Natalia to loud applause.
"Given the terrible dark cloud that hangs over the world and Europe in particular in the form of a barbaric and immoral war on the people of Ukraine, it's important that we come together at the festival and show our solidarity with the people of Ukraine," he said.
"We're pleased that joining us today is Natalia. We are with you Natalia and your family back in the Ukraine in solidarity. It's an honour to have you here today."
He also paid tribute to the other grand marshals, one of which was Jane Callaway, Lead Nurse Infection Prevention and Control, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who is from Kilkenny and has been living in London since 1998.
She worked throughout the pandemic, which she described as "very tough, but I feel like we're coming out the other side."
"I've got a great infection control team that I'm very proud to work with. When I found out I was going to be a marshal about a month ago, I kind of didn't believe it! I've been to the parades and now it just seems very real."
Nathan Cahill from Tuam was another marshal who was selected to represents paramedics.
"On a normal day for us we would be getting four or five thousand calls, but at the peak of Covid it was reaching 8,000 some days," he said. "With the support from everyone across the NHS, the service itself and colleagues, we've managed to get through it. We're starting to see the end of it now, and while it's still there, we can start to enjoy days like this again."
At the festival itself, entertainment was provided by Altan, Damian Dempsey, Xnthony and Girlband and Xona amongst others.
Full coverage of the day is available on the Irish Post's Instagram, @theirishpost, where the details of a St Patrick's Day competition are also available.
