Aid worker Gena Heraty has spoken of her ordeal following her release from kidnap in Haiti.
Ms Heraty, a native of Westport in Co Mayo who is in her mid-50s, oversees the Sainte-Helene orphanage in the commune of Kenscoff, about 10km southeast of the capital, Port au Prince.
She was abducted along with six others and a child from the orphanage on 3 August.
She was released last month after 27 days in captivity.
Speaking on Midwest Radio for the first time since her ordeal, Ms Heraty recalled the night of the kidnapping.
“We were in bed. It was coming to 3.30am in the morning, I think, when we heard this ruckus, people outside our property. They were shouting.
“They were saying in Creole, ‘don’t be afraid, we’re the police’. Obviously, we were afraid.
“They came into the building, lots of armed men, verbally aggressive in the sense that they came in with lots of energy. All of a sudden you see this bunch of young men with massive guns in their hands, it’s overwhelming.”
Ms Heraty said that the kidnappers were looking for the religious order that ran the orphanage.
The facility is operated by the humanitarian organisation “Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs” (“Our Little Brothers and Sisters”).
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“They didn’t know who they were going to find. They were looking for religious sisters living in the property. They were asking, ‘Take us to the nun’s house. Where are all the white people?’
“They headed off with me and I had no idea what was going on behind me when I left.
“We were all in our pyjamas and our flip flops, our plastic sandals. I said to one of the guys, ‘Can I at least get a jumper before I go?’ He was aggressive, verbally aggressive, with his big gun and said, ‘I’m going to blow you up’.
“It’s cold in Kenscoff in the mountains at that hour of the morning. I didn’t know where they were going to take us, but I was still determined that I’d get a jumper because I thought if I’m a little bit warmer, at least I’ll be better able to deal with whatever is coming.”
Ms Heraty said her heart sank when she realised a baby that was living in the orphanage was among the hostages captured.
“When I saw him come in, my heart sunk … Why would you kidnap a little child? And then I thought, how will we ever keep this normal for him?” she said.
“Food was sparse, and it came sporadically”
“So many things are going through your mind … the poor little fella. But it was just awful. There was nothing nice about this experience.”
Despite this, Ms Heraty spoke of how she remained positive throughout the ordeal.
“I knew all the things that they had done to other people and all the things that they could do to me. So, when he was walloping me in my arm, a part of me was saying ‘Thank you, Jesus, that he’s not walloping my face. This could be so much worse’.
“Food was sparse, and it came sporadically. We got something to eat every day, but it was really small portions and we were saving to make sure that the little fella had food in the morning because he wouldn’t be getting food in the morning.
“We knew hunger. It was the first time in my life I knew what it was like to be hungry,” she said.
Ms Heraty paid tribute to her colleagues and acknowledged an old motto her father taught her that got her through the 27 days.
“He used to say, ‘There’s nothing bad that couldn’t be worse’ so that was my motto the whole time. We brought it all in together and the people I was with were those wonderful women that I am with and was with,” she said.
“We knew we’d get out and there’d be days we wouldn’t be hungry, when there are people all around the world that are hungry every single day.”
Ms Heraty said that she has “nothing to complain about” as her recovery continues.
“I truly am very well, all things considered. I feel well. I’m tired. I need to get back my strength, I’m not back at my strength yet. But considering what I’ve been through and what we went through, I have nothing to complain about.
“I’m most grateful, most thankful and especially grateful for all the support and everything from listeners in Mayo and all over Ireland, and indeed all over the world,” added Ms Heraty.