Galway Racecourse at Ballybrit is to become the main hub for donations of essential items being sent to help displaced and terrified Ukrainian refugees on the Polish border.
The generous offer was made after a Polish shop on the Dublin Road became overwhelmed by the response from locals to an appeal for help.
Galway Racecourse Chief Executive Michael Moloney offered the spacious facility after Smakoteka Galway owner Kasia was inundated with donations this past week. She had offered her shop at Kingsvalley near Galway Crystal, as a hub, and had already filled 26 pallets which will be trucked out to Poland today (Thursday )
On Friday next March 11, another truck will leave Galway for Poland. All donations are appreciated but they must be only essential items which can be found listed on the Smakoteka Galway Facebook Page.
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Members of Galway City Council prepare to fly the Ukranian flag. Photo:- Mike Shaughnessy
Volunteers are also being sought to help out here in Galway with this humanitarian crisis and people can get in contact with Donnacha at Volunteer Galway if they can give their time to this.
Galwegians wishing to volunteer can contact https://volunteergalway.ie/ or [email protected] To see what can be donated go to https://www.facebook.com/smakoteka.galway
Ukranian refugees
Calls have been made for local authorities to have plans in place to accommodate the thousands of refugees who will be coming into this country in the coming days. There have been some reports of refugees arriving at Dublin Airport without any place to stay.
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Last night (Wednesday ), prayers for Ukraine were said at ceremonies in Galway city and county. Hundreds gathered at Galway Cathedral last evening in a prayer service for the people of Ukraine after the 6pm mass for Ash Wednesday, and continued until 9pm.
Two candles gifted from a church in Kiev were lit at the start of the gathering as a symbol of unity with all those suffering in Ukraine. Fr John Gerard Acton of Galway Cathedral said that as the Novena continues online this week, a deep shared sense of sadness and worry has been evident.
Elsewhere, a candelit vigil was held in three county towns in response to Pope Francis’ call for prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine and in the World The well-attended vigils took place outside St Brendan’s Cathedral, Loughrea; St Michael’s Church, Ballinasloe and St Brigid’s Church, Portumna.
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Mayor of Galway Colette Connolly.
Meanwhile at 3pm today (Thursday ) the Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council is to raise the Ukrainian Flag at County Hall in show of solidarity.
Cllr Peter Keaveney said that the raising of the Ukrainian Flag on behalf of the people of Co. Galway , represents an expression of solidarity and support with the besieged country’s people, following the invasion of the country by Vladimir Putin’s Russian Army.
Galway County Councillors voted unanimously in favour of this measure of support at this week’s Council meeting to demonstrate their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Cathaoirleach Keaveney said that “the images of a Russian tank breaking a car into rubble in the Ukraine resurrected scenes from terrible times in Europe in the past.
"We the people of County Galway stand in solidarity with Ukraine and with the Ukrainian community across our county. We as Councillors stand with them, and we are utterly horrified by what is happening to their country," he said.
Busking for Peace
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The Cathaoirleach has invited the Ukrainian Community and the public to attend this afternoon's ceremony at County Hall at Prospect Hill.
Mayor Cllr Colette Connolly has also welcomed the support of Councillors at Monday's meeting of Galway City Council meeting to fly the Ukrainian Flag at City Hall in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Meanwhile, buskers in the city are asking people to join them in a Busking for Peace event to raise funds for the Red Cross.
"Grab your guitar, flute, banjo, bodhrán, and whatever other musical instrument you can find and join the 'Busking For Peace' campaign taking place on Thursday and Saturday on the streets of Galway City," organisers have said.
