Osama Abu Hajar has lived in Ireland for almost a decade.
Children in Syria can finally play in the streets without fear, says a Laois man who moved to Ireland from the country almost 10 years ago.
It's being reported former Syrian President Bashar al Assad is taking asylum in Russia after the toppling of his regime.
It remains unclear who will run the country now, after an era that has seen Assad in power since 2000.
Osama Abu Hajar is a software engineer living in Portlaoise, he says he can now think about visiting his home country some day: