News
“You feel powerless as there’s very little you can do”
Killarney based Ukrainian couple fear for family's safety
WORRIED: Vladimir (Vova) Bilokhvost and his wife Sophia who live in Killarney are worried for their families in Ukraine as the war escalates.
WORRIED: Vladimir (Vova) Bilokhvost and his wife Sophia who live in Killarney are worried for their families in Ukraine as the war escalates.
By Michelle Crean
A Ukrainian couple who have lived in Killarney for just over 20 years fear for the safety of their loved ones as the war escalates in Ukraine.
Russian President Putin's troops have been murdering innocent people including children and bombing buildings such as a children's and a maternity hospital in various cities including Kharkiv, Maripola and Kyiv in a bid to take control of the country over the past fortnight.
Each day the situation becomes harder to watch for Vladimir (Vova) Bilokhvost and his wife Sophia as they worry about their families in Poltava which is 100kms from Kharkiv - currently one of the hotspots of the war.
"It's very worrying," Vova, a food and beverage manager in the Gleneagle Hotel, told the Killarney Advertiser.
"Both our parents, my sisters, brothers are there and Sophia's mother and aunt. It's very worrying. You feel powerless as there's very little you can do. It's very stressful and depressing."
Vova, whose children Alexandra (17) and Andrew (9) were born and reared in Killarney, said they are in constant contact with family every day. Poltava, he explained is 100kms from Kharkiv and his family still have access to food, water and the Internet.
"Poltava is OK for now as Kharkiv is standing strong. They [his parents] go to the basement five or six times a day or more when the alarms sound. Hopefully they [Russians] won't advance."
Vova, who said he and his wife will open their home to a Ukrainian family in the next few weeks, thanked the people of Killarney for their continued compassion and support.
"We're getting huge support here. We have a few families, about seven, who have volunteered to take people in."
Speaking of Putin, Vova added that he never imagined that the war would actually happen.
"I could never believe it until the very last second it happened. He is a very damaged man. I would compare him to the worst in history."
No firm timeframe for St Finan’s masterplan
There is still no guaranteed timeline for the redevelopment of the St Finan’s site in Killarney, despite ongoing work between Kerry County Council, the HSE, and the Land Development Agency (LDA).
The issue was raised at a recent Killarney Municipal District meeting by Councillor Maura Healy-Rae, who asked the council for an update on its engagement with the Department of Housing, the LDA, and the HSE regarding the future of the prominent landbank.
Responding to the query, a senior council official confirmed that while Kerry County Council, the HSE, and the LDA are jointly developing a masterplan and infrastructure delivery strategy for the site, progress remains contingent on support.
The official stated that a funding application has been submitted to progress the masterplan and that background work is currently ongoing.
Litter bins were previously removed from Lower New Street in Killarney due to ongoing issues with people using public bins to dispose of household waste.
The matter was raised at the Killarney Municipal District meeting by Councillor Martin Grady, who called for additional litter bins to be installed along Lower New Street, specifically along the stretch from Christy Healy’s shop to Presentation Secondary School, citing a lack of disposal facilities in the area.
In response, Kerry County Council confirmed that while bins had been taken away due to inappropriate domestic waste dumping, a litter bin will now be reinstated on a six-month trial basis.
Council officials stated they will closely monitor usage over the trial period to evaluate its effectiveness and ensure it is used properly.
Litter bins to return to New Street
Litter bins were previously removed from Lower New Street in Killarney due to ongoing issues with people using public bins to dispose of household waste.
The matter was raised at the Killarney Municipal District meeting by Councillor Martin Grady, who called for additional litter bins to be installed along Lower New Street, specifically along the stretch from Christy Healy’s shop to Presentation Secondary School, citing a lack of disposal facilities in the area.
In response, Kerry County Council confirmed that while bins had been taken away due to inappropriate domestic waste dumping, a litter bin will now be reinstated on a six-month trial basis.
Council officials stated they will closely monitor usage over the trial period to evaluate its effectiveness and ensure it is used properly.
No firm timeframe for St Finan’s masterplan
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Litter bins to return to New Street
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