Ukrainians in Cork: ‘We have two parallel realities: one life in Ukraine and a second life here’

On Cork city’s Grand Parade, children run around playing hide-and-seek on the streets they’ve become so familiar with over the past year – if they’re lucky enough not to have been moved around sporadically. Their mothers watch onas they run riot in their imaginations, oblivious to the significance of the day, and their situation.

Thursday was Vyshyvanka Day, a Ukrainian holiday aimed at preserving national traditions including wearing embroidered outfits unique to Ukraine. More than 250 people, including members of various Ukrainian support groups, gathered in ornate embroidered outfits to share their culture with a city they’ve grown to love.

Kalyna, a Ukrainian choir that formed last year in Ballincollig, performed traditional songs, specialising in crowd-rousing anthems that prompted many a cry of “Slava Ukraini” (“glory to Ukraine”). Despite the daily horrors plaguing their home country, there was an infectious sense of optimism, fraternity and gratitude to those who stayed behind to fight.

Kaylna choir director Svitlana Deikun said their “traditional costumes and embroidery will show our unity to the world. During this event, we’re saying to the world that we’re not a part of the Russian Federation, we’re an independent country with our own traditions and our own costumes.”

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“We have two parallel realities: one life in Ukraine, and a second life here,” said Polina Movchan, who recently gave birth to her first child in Ireland. “We didn’t expect it to take this long. Everything we own stayed in Ukraine. Here, we started from the very beginning, from zero.

“Every month for us we have hoped and dreamed it will be finished – ‘next Monday, next Sunday, next month...’ Right now it’s been more than 400 days of war. It’s completely exhausting.”

[ ‘In one moment something broke inside me’: Ukrainian artists in Ireland on the war at home ]

As the months go on, Cork’s Ukrainian community have integrated into local organisations and workplaces, hoping for victory at home, but planning for a life long-term here.

Voytek Bialek, chief executive of Together-Razem, an organisation that supports eastern Europeans to integrate into life in Cork, said that while many want to go home, not all will have that option.

“Those from the east, some of them, their houses are completely destroyed and they have nowhere to go, so they will stay in Ireland,” he said. “And those who find a job here in Ireland, they might settle in Ireland... They are hardworking people, they are very dedicated, they are trustworthy and responsible. I think that Ireland should be happy to have these people here in this country.”

Cork Lord Mayor Deirdre Forde, who spoke to the crowd, said Ukrainians “add to [Irish] culture” and “enrich our society”.

“We will always be with you, 100 per cent, until the job is done,” she said. “And we hope that when that time comes, that you won’t all go back to your own country and forget us. We hope that we will keep some of you here.”

Olesia Zhytkova, another young mother, made a powerful speech demanding freedom for those who defended the now-flattened city of Mariupol from Russian forces. Amid the minute’s silence, it was clear that while the rest of the world has moved on from Mariupol, the sacrifices remain very much fresh in the minds of Ukrainians.

Despite successful counteroffensives since the war began, Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainians’ homes with drones and missiles.

For those with no homes to back to, Ireland is looking a little more like what they left behind.