As Independence Day of Ukraine approaches on August 24, the Ukrainian community presented 20 Viburnum bushes (Kalyna - ukr) to the Killarney community.

Ukrainians want to leave behind a memory for many years in Killarney, as well as express their gratitude to all locals for their hospitality and warm welcome.

Ukrainians, together with the Mayor of Killarney, planted the 20 Viburnum bushes in the Maurice O'Donoghue Memorial Park on the footpath behind the Riverside Hotel on Tuesday.

Viburnum is a very important symbol for every Ukrainian. In every yard of every grandmother in Ukraine, you will find a Viburnum bush. Its white flowers and red berries are sung in folk songs, embroidered on traditional clothes and towels, houses, and coats of arms of towns and cities have been decorated with Viburnum since ancient times.

The battle march "Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow" is now heard all over the world and is the anthem of the resistance of Ukrainians against Russian aggression.

"Viburnum for a Ukrainian is also a symbol of his native home," says Volodymyr Kravchenko, one of the youngest participants of the initiative. "We want to have a little corner of Ukraine here in Killarney. We also want to express our gratitude to all residents of Killarney for their hospitality and leave a Viburnum alley as a memory."

Niall Kelleher, Mayor of Killarney, who granted permission to plant the bushes and also joined the action, added that "there is a lot of Ukrainian people in our community so it's very important".

"We're all growing together in our community and it's going to set vector for the growth of those bushes and the growth of Ukrainians here in Killarney and in Kerry and in Ireland. It symbolises where we're going together as human beings and after one another, so I suppose it's important if we can do that.”

Ukrainians are very grateful to Sheila Casey for her help in organising this event.