Syria, the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, the home of historical monuments, and the birthplace of a peaceful people, and this people – without a sin they committed – were sworn to types of calamity; Death, captivity, fear, or wounds. Because of the war, the people there did not taste the taste of stability, so they searched for any kind of life on any land in the world.
They rode the sea and many of them drowned because the transport boats were not prepared for long distances, and whoever was destined to survive was thrown by the boats to the shores of a new land, some of them were lucky to find the warm human embrace that enabled them to live in dignity.
This film entitled “Refugee Hotel”, which was shown by Al Jazeera Documentary, tells the story of many Syrian refugees who escaped from death in Syria to life in the Republic of Ireland in the Northeast Atlantic, and then many of them obtained asylum and work.
4000 Syrian refugees have been granted asylum in Ireland, one of them is Ghassan, who fled the war in 2016 and settled in the capital, Dublin, before moving to the village of Blahadrin.
Ghassan appears in the film as he wanders in a festive atmosphere in the town of “Blahadrin”, where he feels the happiness, safety and kindness of the residents. On the other hand, he remembers his country, Syria, expressing sadness for its condition, saying: The war robbed us of everything.
Irish split
The influx of refugees into an abandoned hotel in Blahdren, Ireland, has made the Irish population divided in their opinions of Syrian refugees between welcome to come and fearful anticipation of what they will do in the days ahead.
Irish citizen Anne fears refugees: If they can’t take care of what we have here, we won’t be able to take care of ours.
And Michael rules out that they will continue their presence for a long time in Ireland, wondering: Is there an opportunity to integrate? And he answers: No.
On the other hand, Father Joseph believes that “one of the greatest acts of charity is to share resources with people whose circumstances are bad.” As for Mary, she prays for the refugees and offers them all possible help.
Blahadrin has had a hard time, from high unemployment to the closure of many projects, including the abandoned hotel that reopened its doors as a center hosting Syrian refugees under the management of Jackie Mullen.
Jackie has worked in philanthropy for many years, but has never worked in the refugee field before. She says: I love giving.
It’s like the British series Fawlty Tours, which aired in 1975 and 1979 and was named the biggest British TV sitcom of all time.
Jackie cycles through the hotel’s facilities, counting its forty rooms, showing the Irish people’s solidarity with the refugees: This is the parlour, and all the children from the local school have left messages of welcome for the Syrian families and their children.
Ghassan is a young Syrian man in his twenties who fled to Ireland
Hotel Abifid
The Justice Department says 80 refugees will be transferred to Rosquimon, west of Blahadrin, to be accommodated at the Abivid Hotel. Jackie describes the condition of the refugees coming to the hotel as tired, some of them have gone through tragic situations, and there is a woman who lost her son, and a girl with shrapnel wounds.
Jackie appears in the film as she distributes the refugees to the hotel rooms, as each family has been allocated a room. At some distance from Ghassan’s room is his extended family; His great-aunt, daughter Jenan and granddaughter Ahlam and Judy, who left their home five years ago after Jenan’s husband disappeared.
Jackie checks the refugees every morning to make sure that services are provided to them, such as breakfast and health care. She says: These people have not had their teeth checked for six years, so their teeth have holes that need fillings. Jackie dreams that the refugees’ place will become a source of security and happiness for them.