A unique photo exhibition has been installed on the railings outside St Mary’s Church of Ireland in Killarney town centre, offering a stark reminder of the human cost of the war in Ukraine. 

Organised by the local branch of the ‘Future of Ukrainian Nation’, the display serves as a bridge between the local community and the families who have fled to Kerry.

The display features portraits of several Ukrainian and Irish soldiers who have died or remain missing in action, as well as members of the media killed on the front line. 

Most poignantly, it captures the homes and memories of refugees now living in Killarney, showing the physical destruction of the lives they left behind.

Iryna Synelnykova, a teacher and activist with the “Future of Ukrainian Nation,” shared the story of her family’s summer house. The home was located on Potemkin Island in the Kherson region, along the Dnipro River. Iryna recalls countless happy moments shared there, but tragedy struck on July 6, 2023. Following the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric station, the island and the house were submerged. As the water receded, Russian artillery inflicted further destruction. The area is now mined and occupied by military personnel, leaving the family with no way to return.

Another selection of photos captures the destroyed apartment building of Maryna Ivashenko in Mariupol, which was levelled by Russian attacks. 

The exhibition also featured the family home of another  resident in Mariupol.

 In that instance, 17 shells struck the house, with one hitting the kitchen while the family was hiding in the basement. Though they miraculously survived and escaped to Killarney, they have no home to return to.

Pickleball Club’s record medal haul at Munster Open

Killarney Pickleball Club celebrated its most successful outing to date at the Munster Open held last weekend at the MTU Tralee sports complex

.
The club sent a record number of eight members to the tournament, which featured players from across Ireland and beyond.
The Killarney contingent secured medals across several divisions. Jeremy Foley took home gold in the men’s intermediate section, competing alongside Alan Cunningham from Tralee. In the mixed doubles lower section, Max and Stephanie Regosa claimed silver medals following a strong run in their bracket.
Mike Lyne had a standout weekend, securing two bronze medals. He placed third in the 60+ men’s doubles with partner Tommy McCarthy of Castlegregory and followed it up with another bronze in the mixed doubles on Sunday.
Lyne’s Sunday performance included a dramatic comeback in the final match, trailing 10-1 before rallying to win 15-13.
The club was also represented at the high-energy event by Shane O’Sullivan, Hanne Winther, Jyotindra Swaroop, and Kumar Shreyansh.
Hosted by the Kingdom Pickleball Club, the 2026 Munster Open utilised the top-class facilities at MTU to accommodate multiple skill levels and divisions, marking one of the largest competitive pickleball weekends in the country this year.