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Transition from darkness to light “a powerful symbol for Ukrainians”

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By Natalya Krasnenkova

We have a proverb in Ukraine - "the darkest time comes before dawn" which means that even at the most difficult moments in the life of a person or a country, dawn comes.

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT: Natalya Krasnenkova and Tatiana McGough pictured at the Killarney Darkness into Light walk.

EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE: Pictured at the Killarney Darkness into Light walk were: Stepan Krasnenkov Kryna Melnichuk and Natalya Krasnenkova. Photo: Tatiana McGough

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And so there is hope that all pain and tragedy will surely pass, that pain and suffering are temporary and will surely come to an end. There is deep optimism in this phrase. It is this proverb that warms Ukrainians during wars, revolutions and personal tragedies.

Last week, my children and I got up at dawn to join 'Darkness into Light' which took place in Killarney. I already knew that the campaign started in 2009 in Dublin and has since spread throughout Ireland and other countries. I imagined thousands of people around the world waking up, putting on their clothes to embark on this important journey that gives many people hope for life and healing from mental health problems.

But when we arrived I could not have imagined that there would be so many people. Thousands of locals gathered together to start the night and completely dissolve into the darkness.

My children and I were the last to go. Occasionally we heard voices or saw the light from flashlights. We were left alone near Ross Castle completely in the dark. They heard only the birdsong, saw the silhouette of the castle and the silent lake. This was the culmination of our journey.

At that moment I thought of all those who went into darkness and did not return. For me, these were not only people who shortened their lives, but also those whose lives were forcibly taken as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. My children and I watched the new day being born - and so the hope for life is born.

As we returned, the lights grew brighter and the voices of the people around us grew louder. The trip ended at dawn. And it was there that I felt joy and elation. There were living people around, hugging, drinking tea, greeting each other and taking pictures. Life went on.

In Ukraine, I have been working on the subject of death for the last two years. We promoted Anastasia Leukhina's book 'Non-scary book about life, death and everything in-between' https://non-scary.org/en/, which collected stories of many people who experienced the loss of loved ones, children, terrible diagnoses and the fight against older illnesses, as well as advice from doctors, psychologists and patients on how to cope with the most difficult life circumstances. This book, as well as 'Darkness into Light' gave people hope that there is always a choice and it belongs only to you, choosing how to live your life, even in the face of illness or loss of a loved one.

It was very difficult to promote the book in Ukraine, because it touched on the subject of death. I came up with and invited stars and thought leaders to read excerpts from the book on video. Many people voted, but many refused, because the topic of death in our society is taboo, people prefer not to talk about it.

As far as I was surprised, the Irish are so actively involved in actions in which they interact with the theme of death. For me, this is an inspiring example that I will take with me to Ukraine. Therefore, I hope that next May 7 such an action will take place in Kyiv.
 

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Paralympic legend Jason Smyth visits St Brendan’s

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Paralympic legend Jason Smyth visits St Brendan’s


World renowned Paralympian and world record holder Jason Smyth paid a visit to St Brendan’s College on Wednesday afternoon as part of a high profile visit to Killarney.


The six time Paralympic gold medallist spoke to second year students from St Brendan’s College, alongside students from neighbouring schools St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School and Killarney Community College.
The interactive talk and interview took place ahead of World Sight Day, with the legendary sprinter sharing his personal journey with Stargardt disease, a genetic eye condition that left him legally blind at eight years old.
The Derry native, who holds the world record as the fastest Paralympian on earth over 100 metres, offered inspiring insights into overcoming physical adversity and achieving success at the highest level of world sport.
The school visit formed the opening leg of his Killarney schedule before he took centre stage later on Wednesday evening at The Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa.
Smyth headlined An Evening with Paralympian Jason Smyth, an event organised by the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce as part of its winter schedule, sponsored by AIB.

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Deerpark Retail Park placed on market for fifteen million euro

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Deerpark Retail Park in Killarney has officially been placed on the market with a guide price in excess of 15.4 million euro, excluding VAT.

International real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield has been appointed as the sole sales agent to handle the high-profile commercial property sale on behalf of its current owner, Investcorp.

Investcorp, a global investment management firm headquartered in Bahrain, had previously acquired the prominent shopping complex.


The sale represents one of the largest commercial property offerings to launch in County Kerry this year.

Located roughly 1.3 kilometres west of Killarney town centre, the scheme enjoys strong regional connectivity and sits adjacent to independently owned operations including a Tesco Extra store, a Tesco petrol filling station, JYSK, and Aldi.


Constructed in 2006, the development extends across approximately 10,482 square metres, or 112,835 square feet.

The scheme comprises a mix of modern retail warehouse units and a complementary neighbourhood centre, offering 13 individual units in total with Part Open and Part Bulky Use planning permission.

The units range in size from 94.6 square metres up to 1,994.9 square metres. Visitors have access to approximately 248 customer parking spaces across the commercial grounds.

The park is currently 100 per cent occupied by a strong line-up of established national and international brands.

Key retail tenants include Marks & Spencer, Boots, DID Electrical, Maxi Zoo, and Mountain Warehouse.

The neighbourhood centre element accommodates service and convenience operators such as Costa Coffee, Card Factory, and Salon B.

The first-floor accommodation is fully let to Peak Performance Academy, which provides additional rental diversification.

Additionally, the scheme benefits from an agreement with Tesla to operate eight electric vehicle charging bays within the customer car park.


Commercial figures show that the property generates a total current rental income of 1,326,458 euro per annum, with a weighted average unexpired lease term of 4.45 years to break options and 6.46 years to lease expiry.

Cushman & Wakefield noted that the quoted guide price of 15.4 million euro reflects a net initial yield of 7.83 per cent, assuming standard purchaser costs of 9.96 per cent.

The selling agents highlighted that the fully occupied asset offers investors an attractive income profile alongside scope for additional income generation through parking commercialisation.

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