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Ukrainian Stories Echo Through Dublin as Irish Actors Perform War Diaries

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Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko
Katherina Popilnichenko
News Intern
Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)
Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)

The City Assembly House gallery in Dublin recently hosted the premiere of Diary of War, a documentary theatrical performance featuring the real-life diaries of Ukrainians. The event took place ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to NV on February 26.

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The performance was dedicated to the memory of Iryna Tsybukh, a paramedic from the Hospitallers medical battalion who was killed in the line of duty. The script was developed from seven individual stories recorded by cultural activist Daria Kolomiec for her documentary podcast.

Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)
Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)

The evening began with a musical performance by bandura player Vikalira and a performance by Ukrainian singer Kateryna Horbenkova. 

The stories featured in the reading belonged to a diverse group of Ukrainians, including paramedic Iryna Tsybukh, Azovstal defender’s wife Olena Nikulina, photojournalist Yulia Kochetova, volunteer Denys Khrystov, Okhmatdyt  hospital clown Olha Bulkina, DJ Marat Shevchenko, and editor Yuriy Marchenko.

Irish actors Derbhle Crotty, Marc Huberman, Margaret McAuliffe, Emmet Kirwan, Vinicia Bow, and Leonard Buckley performed the readings. The production was directed by American professor Muse Higgins.

This Dublin performance marked the first time the project has been held in Ireland, following previous successful runs in US theaters, including New York.

Following the readings, a charity auction was held to support Ukrainian causes. Auction items included a military patch designed by Iryna Tsybukh and a rare bottle of wine from Fathers Wine, produced in vineyards in the Kherson region that are currently under Russian occupation. 

Organizers stated that since 2024, these readings have raised over $150,000 for Ukrainian volunteer organizations.

“Today’s readings changed many people’s perceptions of Ukraine and Russia’s war against us. And I’m not just talking about the audience, but also the actors. Some of them admitted during rehearsals that they didn’t know about the 12 years of war.”

Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)
Irish actors read Ukrainian war diaries for the first time in Dublin. (Source: Ksenia Vitsinska)

“And now they say they will become ambassadors for Ukraine and will continue to tell these stories. For me, this is the most important result: when a personal story finds its way to people so much that they continue to be its voices,” said Daria Kolomiec.

Earlier, the Irish rock band U2 has released a new track titled "Yours Eternally," featuring British singer Ed Sheeran and the Ukrainian band Antytila. The song is part of U2’s new EP, Days Of Ash, where each track is dedicated to a specific individual. The collaboration follows meetings between the musicians in Kyiv and London.

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Okhmatdyt is Ukraine’s largest national children’s hospital in Kyiv, providing specialized care for children with cancer, rare diseases, and critical injuries from across the country. It was damaged on July 8, 2024, when Russian forces struck Kyiv with a large-scale missile attack that hit the hospital’s facilities, killing adults and forcing the evacuation of patients, including children.

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