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.

Beaufort Engineer honoured with national emerging leader award

Beaufort native Danny Pio Murphy has been named the recipient of the Emerging Leader Award at the National Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2026.

The ceremony, hosted by the Irish Centre for Diversity, recognises individuals who have made significant strides in promoting inclusion and belonging within Irish workplaces.
Danny Pio, a Chartered Engineer and Associate Director at DBFL Consulting Engineers, was singled out for his work in transforming the engineering profession. As a founding member of DBFL’s internal EDI team, he was instrumental in developing the company’s first Diversity Action Plan in 2020.
This initiative led to the firm achieving the Gold Investors in Diversity Accreditation in 2025, a standard held by only 28 organisations across the country.
Beyond his professional role, Danny Pio co-founded and currently chairs the Engineers Ireland Inclusion and Diversity Society. In this capacity, he helps shape inclusive practices for the body’s 30,000 members and influences the wider profession of over 75,000 engineers.
Speaking at the awards, Danny Pio highlighted the personal nature of his work: “This work has always been personal to me.
It comes from knowing what it feels like to question whether you belong in a space. Sometimes leadership is about being the person who tells others, ‘You belong here.’”
He further noted that diversity is essential for the future of the industry, stating that solving challenges like housing and climate change requires a broad range of perspectives.
While leading national transport and infrastructure projects, the Beaufort man hopes this recognition will encourage more young people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in engineering.