Free concert in Athlone on Saturday to mark Ukraine's Independence Day

A mother and daughter from Ukraine, who have backgrounds in music and choreography, are helping to organise a free concert in Athlone this weekend to celebrate Ukraine's Independence Day.

The concert is happening in St Mary's Hall on Northgate Street this Saturday (August 26) at 7pm, and all are welcome to attend.

Local resident Tetiana Donchenko, who is a professional musician, is involved in putting together the concert along with her daughter Anastasiia, who has a background in choreography and theatre and who now works with Fóroige's Gateway Youth Project in Athlone.

Saturday's event will feature music from Ukrainian performers but also contributions by Irish vocalists and instrumentalists, as well as a puppet show and a karate demonstration by students of Sensei Patrick Beaumont's Matsubayashi International Karate Hombu Dojo.

The southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, which is not all that far from Russian-occupied Crimea, is where Tetiana and Anastasiia came from.

"We arrived in Athlone in May 2022. It was our first time in Ireland, but we thoroughly enjoyed the country and the picturesque town of Athlone, as well as the hospitality, warmth and friendly support that the Irish people showed us," said Tetiana.

Shortly after their arrival, Tetiana and Anastasiia began hosting music and dance classes in St Mary's Hall.

"Among our students were many Irish children. I believe that this helped our young refugees from Ukraine to better integrate and adapt to their new environment, while they also had fun and learned to show their creative side," explained Tetiana.

As a result of their joint efforts, a concert to celebrate the 2022 Ukrainian Independence Day was held in St Mary's Hall this time last year.

Since then, Tetiana and Anastasiia, together with Patrick Beaumont and Lana Avhadieva-Shevchuk, opened 'Freedom', a volunteer school of aesthetic development which has local councillor Frankie Keena as its honorary president.

The 'Freedom' school has been staging puppet show musical performances, with children from the Polish, Indian and Ukrainian communities taking part, along with Irish children.

Last month, Tetiana also established the vocal group 'Ukrainian Zirkona' which performed as part of the recent Féile na Sionainne celebration in Athlone.

The group also took part in a performance of the folk song 'Where have all the flowers gone?' alongside renowned Irish singers Dolores Keane and Emmet Cahill at the Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar.

This month, Anastasiia started working for Fóroige locally. "I'm ecstatic that I have the opportunity to work with Fóroige Gateway Youth Project in Athlone, being part of a great team with Gary Nugent and Kieran Burke," she said.

"Working with Fóroige allows me to aid young people, making their lives more adventurous, delightful and unique.

"We organise groups on their interests and hobbies, where the young people can spend their free time talking with each other, taking part in interesting activities and growing together as part of a team and individually.

"As well as that, Fóroige Gateway Youth Project in Athlone attracts a bigger amount of Ukrainian young people, helping them with integration and making their life a lot more cheerful, which is especially important right now!"

Ukraine's Independence Day, which is today (Thursday) is being celebrated for the 33rd time this year.

The preparations for this Saturday's concert in St Mary's Hall involve the Athlone Ukrainian Community, chairperson Oleksandr Biriukov, the 'Freedom' school, and the Ukrainian Zirkona vocal group.

"Taking part in the concert aren't only Ukranians, but also Irish vocalists and instrumentalists. In the puppet show, joining the Ukrainian kids will be children from the Polish and Indian communities," said Tetiana.

"As well as that, we'll have Ukrainians from various towns and cities all over Ireland taking part in our concert!

"At the concert, we would like to see not only us Ukrainians but also an Irish audience, to show Ukraine's cultural heritage and to express our gratitude to Ireland for supporting Ukraine and providing a haven for Ukrainian children and women.

"At the concert, the audience will be able to hear Ukrainian songs and songs in English, they'll be shown a performance, a musical in Ukrainian, which used to be performed in English, listen to a musical piece performed on the accordion, piano and finally, the karate club will demonstrate its show."

All are welcome to come along and take in the performances in St Mary's Hall at 7pm on Saturday.