Ukranian Voices From Ireland

Classic Hits

The Ukrainian Voices in Ireland podcast shares stories from the Ukranian community and helps to build communication with Ireland’s new residents. The podcast gives Ireland’s newest community, Ukrainian refugees, a voice and a chance to introduce themselves to the people of Ireland. With so many arrivals, spread so widely across the country, there’s been a lack of a coherent narrative or voices from the newest residents of Ireland. Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio wants to play its part in welcoming the newest members of Ireland’s community and giving them a voice and an opportunity to speak for themselves and introduce themselves to a wider Irish audience.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

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"My brothers are soldiers defending our country"

"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.

Episodes

"My brothers are soldiers defending our country"

"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"

"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"

"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 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 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: "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: "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

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

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"

"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.

Ivan Soraka on his Ukrainian parents raising their family in Ireland

Ivan Soraka on his Ukrainian parents raising their family in Ireland

Ivan Soraka chats to Trina Mara about moving to Ireland at a young age and how his parents adapted to life in Ireland

Ukrainian born Ivan Soroka on growing up in Ireland

Ukrainian born Ivan Soroka on growing up in Ireland

Ivan Soroka chats to Trina Mara about his Ukrainian parents and what it was like moving to Ireland at the age of six.

Alla Mikhnova: "My husband is still in Ukraine. I check the news every morning"

Alla Mikhnova: "My husband is still in Ukraine. I check the news every morning"

Alla Mikhnova chats to Trina Mara about the Russian invasion and how her husband is still in Ukraine. She checks the news every morning to see what has happened overnight.

Fr.Vasyl Kornitsky: "We brought the children to Dublin Zoo & when a plane went overhead, they took cover"

Fr.Vasyl Kornitsky: "We brought the children to Dublin Zoo & when a plane went overhead, they took cover"

Reporter Eoin Glackin chats to Fr.Vasyl Komitsky from Donnycarney Church in Dublin. He came here from Ukraine in 2012 and has been working closely with the local Ukrainian community.

Fr Vasyl Kornitsky Part One - "I quickly realised that my job as a priest was to create a safe haven for them"

Fr Vasyl Kornitsky Part One - "I quickly realised that my job as a priest was to create a safe haven for them"

Reporter Eoin Glackin spoke with Ukrainian priest Father Vasyl Kornitsky of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Donnycarney, Dublin. Fr Vasyl came to Ireland in 2012. He told us about how his job changed after the war broke out.

Alla Mikhnova: "We only had 2 suitcases for myself and my two children"

Alla Mikhnova: "We only had 2 suitcases for myself and my two children"

Alla Mikhnova speaks to Trina Mara about her life in Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine with her two children.

Alla Mikhnova: "My town was occupied on the first day of the war. My husband is still in Ukraine"

Alla Mikhnova: "My town was occupied on the first day of the war. My husband is still in Ukraine"

Alla Mikhnova speaks to Trina about leaving her husband behind in Ukraine to stay with his mother as she came to Ireland with her two sons after her town was occupied on the first day of the war. She told us how her children have struggled as a lot of their friends are now living in other European countries.

Sergiy Balan: "My nephew was killed by Russians on the first day of occupation. He was only 22"

Sergiy Balan: "My nephew was killed by Russians on the first day of occupation. He was only 22"

Sergiy Balan's 22-year-old nephew was killed on the first day of occupation by the Russians. Sergiy's mother, who is 82, has said she is too old to travel and "better to die in her own hometown".

Sergiy Balan: "Lots of Ukrainians have no homes to go back to"

Sergiy Balan: "Lots of Ukrainians have no homes to go back to"

Sergiy Balan is the Chairman of the Association of Ukrainians in Ireland. He tells Trina Mara about how lost he was when he came to Ireland over 20 years to learn English. www.ukrainians.ie

Radion "We opened a printing business called "Steekaz.ie" 6 months ago"

Radion "We opened a printing business called "Steekaz.ie" 6 months ago"

Radion tells us about the printing business he has started in Ireland since fleeing the war 2 years ago www.steekaz.ie