Ukranian Voices From Ireland

"My brothers are soldiers defending our country"

Marina chats to Trina Mara about leaving Ukraine with her mother as her town was occupied by the Russians.  Her two brothers are soldiers fighting in the war.  Marina has lost many friends who have died during the war.  

"I had to leave Ukraine alone at 17 years old. My parents are still there"

Michael speaks to Trina about leaving Ukraine unaccompanied at the age of 17, how he worries about his family and his big plans to work hard in Ireland

"My mam wanted to go home to Ukraine"

18-year-old Mykola Rubliuk chats to Trina Mara about moving to Ireland 9 months ago.  He came here with his mother who misses her husband who is back in Ukraine.  

18-year-old Mykola Rubliuk on making friends in Ireland

18-year-old Mykola Rubliuk is a youth leader at the Lisdoonvarna Youth Cafe. It's a place where teenagers ages 13-18 cam come to meet friends, gain knowledge and skills and find something to their liking.  The main goal of the project is to create a safe place where each teenager is respected and accepted.
The youth cafe has many master classes, for example, cooking, DIY, growing plants aswell as trips for the teenagers to festivals, surfing courses.  There is also training in self-development, self-confidence and mental health. 
The cafe opens 5 days a week from 4pm to 9pm.  

16-year-old Dara Rudkovska on Lisdoonvarna Youth Cafe welcoming Ukrainians

16-year-old Daria Rudkovska chats to Trina Mara about her involvement with the Lisdoonvarna Youth Cafe, how she was welcomed to Ireland and the challenges of living in a hotel room for over 2 years.  

Oksana: "I asked for help on Facebook and got a reply within 5 minutes by a very kind Irish family"

Oksana tells Trina about moving to Ireland with her husband and 3 young children.  Ukrainian law states the men can leave if they have three or more young children.  She asked for help on Facebook and received a number of offers with a place to stay in Ireland 

Oksana: "We spent a month in a basement with 10 other people and would share one apple as we ran out of food"

Oksana moved to Ireland from Kharkiv, Ukraine after the Russian invasion and tells us about her experience of living here with her family.  She was living only 30 kilometres from the Russian border.
 
 
 

Ukrainian Artist Yana Koretska on setting up art and well-being workshops in Ireland

Artist and art teacher Yana Koretska from Kremenchuk, Ukraine tells Trina Mara about her experience of living in Ireland 
She tells us about her well-being workshops
https://yanakoretska.art/art-workshops

Artist Yana Koretska on being welcomed in Ireland & the heartache of her mother and sister staying behind in Ukraine

Yana Koretska came to Ireland after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.  In Part One, she tells Trina about her career as an artist and how she has been welcomed by her host family.  Her mother and 11-year-old sister decided to stay in Ukraine.  
Instagram - yanessa_ukrainian.artist
www.yanakoretska.art

"My granny is right in the thick of the war in Ukraine but she won't leave"

Ivan Soraka chats to Trina Mara about the realities of having family members still living in the thick of the war in Ukraine.