News
Ukrainians experience their first ever Hallowe’en
By Natalya Krasnenkova
For Ukrainians, celebrating Hallowe'en is not a tradition.
LOOKING DIFFERENT: Stepan Krykun Natalya Krasnenkova George Saary Valryia Mashkovska Victoria Volkova and Maeve O'Connell enjoyed getting in to character up for Hallowe'en.
DRESS UP: Fedorchuk Mylana and Bidakh Mariia pictured dressing up for Hallowe'en for the very first time. Photo: Natalya Krasnenkova
FIRST TIME: Ukrainian children from Innisfallen Hotel pictured enjoying their first ever Hallowe'en. Photo: Natalya Krasnenkova
LOOKING DIFFERENT: Stepan Krykun Natalya Krasnenkova George Saary Valryia Mashkovska Victoria Volkova and Maeve O'Connell enjoyed getting in to character up for Hallowe'en.
DRESS UP: Fedorchuk Mylana and Bidakh Mariia pictured dressing up for Hallowe'en for the very first time. Photo: Natalya Krasnenkova
FIRST TIME: Ukrainian children from Innisfallen Hotel pictured enjoying their first ever Hallowe'en. Photo: Natalya Krasnenkova
In Ukraine, people celebrate more for Christmas than they do for Hallowe'en. It is then that children change into costumes of biblical characters and go from door to door singing carols and glorifying the birth of Christ. Adults reward children's groups with sweets and money.
“But once we were in Killarney, we couldn't help but join in the celebration of a new holiday for us, this will be our first Halloween, we must spend this evening unforgettable,” thought the Ukrainians from Innisfallen Hotel.
As early as noon on October 31, little Ukrainians in traditional costumes were knocking on the doors of the rooms at the Innisfallen Hotel, shouting "trick or treat"! All the adults were ready and generously gifted the children with sweets. For example, several skeletons, several ghosts, a couple of witches and scarecrows in pumpkin masks knocked on my door during the day!
But the real event unfolded at the Innisfallen Hotel in the evening. Then the adults prepared a performance for the children in which the evil pumpkin monster came to feast on the children. The forces of good together with the children had to go through quests and guess all the riddles in order to defeat the pumpkin monster. The children really enjoyed running around the hotel and looking for clues to solve the riddles. The hotel was filled with children's laughter, noise and happy exclamations when another mystery was solved. As a team, the children were able to defeat the pumpkin monster played by Vasyl Melnychuk.
He not only came up with the scenario of the holiday, made a costume, but also expertly carved the head of the pumpkin monster. In Ukraine, Vasyl worked a lot as a wood carver, so he skilfully performed carving.
“First of all, this is a holiday for children who were torn from normal life in Ukraine. Children are children, despite what is happening at home, in Ukraine, they want holidays. Innisfallen Hotel became a family home, the entire hotel team became family. It was a warm family holiday,” Vasyl, the organiser, said.
Then children, together with adults, held a competition for the best festive costume. No one was surprised that the victory went to all the children. And they were all rewarded with applause and sweets. Finally, everyone together, children and parents, carved pumpkins.
We would like to note that the Innisfallen Hotel was beautifully decorated for the holiday, and for lunch we were served a festive menu, for which we are very grateful to all the staff. Any initiative of Ukrainians, be it children's parties, movie screenings, disco, speaking clubs, always finds support and help in organising it from the entire hotel team. The residents of the hotel are very grateful from the bottom of their hearts to everyone who works at the Innisfallen Hotel.
Major extension plans at St Oliver’s National School
St Oliver’s National School in Ballycasheen is set to undergo a significant expansion following confirmation that the Department of Education has granted approval for the project to proceed to construction.
The building project, funded under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, will deliver a substantial extension to the existing school facilities. The development includes the provision of three new mainstream classrooms, seven Special Education Teaching (SET) rooms, and three Special Educational Needs (SEN) bases.
The expansion is designed to meet the growing educational needs of the Killarney area while enhancing the school’s capacity to provide inclusive support for all students.
Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill welcomed the progress, noting that the inclusion of dedicated SET and SEN spaces is vital for a modern learning environment.
“I am delighted to see this project at St Oliver’s National School progressing to the construction stage,” he said. “This is a very significant development that will greatly enhance the school’s capacity. I want to commend the school management, the Principal Colm Ó Suilleabháin, the staff, parents, and Board of Management for their continued engagement and dedication in advancing this project.”
The Killarney Palestinian and wider Arabic community gathered recently to celebrate the end of Ramadan with an Eid event that raised €4,500 for humanitarian aid.
Held at Noelle’s Cafe in Old Market Lane, the ‘Taste of Palestine’ afternoon saw crowds fill the lane in bright sunshine. Attendees were served a range of traditional Palestinian dishes, including falafel, musakhan rolls, maqluba, hummus, and chocolate-covered dates.
A spokesperson for Killarney for Palestine highlighted the cultural significance of the event, stating that food represents a centuries-old connection to the land, identity, and memory. They noted that it is vital to reclaim and preserve the true origins of these traditional dishes.
The organisers expressed their gratitude to Noelle Crosbie and Taher Ali of Noelle’s Cafe for hosting and facilitating the fundraiser.
The total of €4,500 raised will directly benefit six displaced families in the Gaza Strip currently supported by the group. The funds will also assist with the ongoing running costs of Killarney for Palestine as they continue to organise local community events.
Killarney for Palestine raises €4,500 at ‘Taste of Palestine’ event
The Killarney Palestinian and wider Arabic community gathered recently to celebrate the end of Ramadan with an Eid event that raised €4,500 for humanitarian aid.
Held at Noelle’s Cafe in Old Market Lane, the ‘Taste of Palestine’ afternoon saw crowds fill the lane in bright sunshine. Attendees were served a range of traditional Palestinian dishes, including falafel, musakhan rolls, maqluba, hummus, and chocolate-covered dates.
A spokesperson for Killarney for Palestine highlighted the cultural significance of the event, stating that food represents a centuries-old connection to the land, identity, and memory. They noted that it is vital to reclaim and preserve the true origins of these traditional dishes.
The organisers expressed their gratitude to Noelle Crosbie and Taher Ali of Noelle’s Cafe for hosting and facilitating the fundraiser.
The total of €4,500 raised will directly benefit six displaced families in the Gaza Strip currently supported by the group. The funds will also assist with the ongoing running costs of Killarney for Palestine as they continue to organise local community events.
Major extension plans at St Oliver’s National School
Major extension plans at St Oliver’s National School St Oliver’s National School in Ballycasheen is set to undergo a significant...
Killarney for Palestine raises €4,500 at ‘Taste of Palestine’ event
The Killarney Palestinian and wider Arabic community gathered recently to celebrate the end of Ramadan with an Eid event that...
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