How a Ukrainian refugee launched her beauty business in Clonmel
Since 2022, many Ukrainians have made Ireland their home, seeking refuge from the war. On the Emerald Isle, they have found support, friendship, and a chance to rebuild their lives. Despite the challenges of arriving in a distant country and losing their homes, many Ukrainians have managed to start over. Thanks to the support of the Irish people, they can work, study, and launch their own businesses.
One such inspiring individual is Marina Garna, a hardworking Ukrainian girl now living in Clonmel and running her own beauty business. Let’s find out how she’s adapting and thriving here.
Twice Displaced, Still Standing Marina is in her twenties, but she has already had to leave her home twice.
When Russia began its war against Ukraine in 2014, she was living in Luhansk, in the easternmost region of the country. This area, known as the Donbas, was the first part of Ukraine to feel the so-called “friendly embrace” of Russia. Marina’s family was forced to move from Russian-occupied Luhansk to Kharkiv, which remained under Ukrainian control.
In 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion and began constantly bombing Kharkiv, Marina and her friend Tetiana decided to move to Ireland.
At first, Marina didn’t understand much about life in her new country. She realized that she could only rely on herself. The move, she notes, was incredibly stressful.
Like many others, Marina went through several emotional stages during emigration. At first, there was euphoria — everything was exciting and beautiful, so green and new. Everyone speak English. It felt like the beginning of a new life. Then nostalgia set in. Marina started to miss home — her parents, even her job, which she hadn’t particularly liked in Ukraine.
Gradually, she adapted to life in Ireland, understanding that there was no other choice: she had to work and build a future here, or return to a war-torn Ukraine. She chose to stay.
Building a Dream from Scratch Marina had a very difficult time starting out. She never relied on financial support from her parents and didn’t want to be a burden on the Irish state by claiming jobseeker’s allowance for long.
The hardest part was building a client base and finding a stable footing. Psychotherapy and the support of friends and parents helped her through: “I didn’t praise myself at all. My mindset was always: you can do more, you can do better. Gradually, I started to give myself some credit — although I still struggle with it. My friends really supported me — my friend Tetiana and my boyfriend Samir. And of course, my parents are always my back-up. They believed in me. I think if I had been on my own, I wouldn’t have made it. They told me that you’d have to look hard to find someone who doesn’t give up like you.”
Today, Marina has a solid client base and rent office in the beauty salon Ada. With a basic medical education obtained in Ukraine, she is currently studying Beauty Therapy at ETB College. Her future plans include enrolling in a medical college in Ireland, getting a driving license, attracting more clients, and eventually becoming a mentor for others who want to work in the beauty industry.
“I feel safe here, and I don’t experience any discrimination,” Marina says. “I don’t feel out of place. Yes, I understand that this is not my home yet, but I am not a stranger here. I already have acquaintances, connections, a job, and some accomplishments. I enjoy coming back here after any trip — even from Ukraine.”
She says that people are Ireland’s greatest treasure. They are kind, open, and welcoming — always ready to crack a joke, lend a hand, offer support, or simply listen. And that means so much. Among the country’s many strengths, she also highlights its stability, safety, and beautiful nature.
She offers words of encouragement to anyone dreaming of starting their own business but feeling afraid: “Seek support within yourself and from those closest to you. Don’t be afraid and allow yourself to make mistakes — because they will happen, they’re inevitable. What matters is learning from them.
Don’t expect instant success but move toward your goal step by step.”