Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross Dr Paul Colton has paid tribute to people who rallied around to donate money and help renovate eight historic houses in Mitchelstown to cater for families fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The bishop said people had responded with great generosity when he and diocesan secretary Billy Skuse put out an appeal two weeks ago to try and raise €300,000-€400,000 to do up the vacant houses at Kingston College in the north Cork town.
“We saw what was happening in Ukraine – people fleeing the horror of war there and ending up as refugees, and I said to Billy it was unconscionable to have these houses in Kingston College lying idle, so we immediately drew up a plan to upgrade the houses,” Dr Colton said.
“We reckoned we needed between €300,000 and €400,000 to do up the eight houses, which were in varying states of disrepair. I was told that I would never get that sort of money but we sent out an appeal and within eight days we had raised over €200,000, so we’re well on our way.”
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They hope to be able to accommodate at least eight families in the renovated houses and possibly more, if those coming include members of extended families who want to live together.
The eight houses are located throughout Kingston College, a community of 30 small terraced houses, grouped around a large square with a chapel in the centre, which were built by James, fourth lord baron Kingston, in 1761 to cater for former tenants on his estate.
Self-contained unit
Mr Skuse said the houses were mainly occupied by retired people from all walks of life and from all parts of Ireland and beyond. While the houses are not identical, each is a separate self-contained unit with its own garden.
“I sent out a circular to people living here, telling them of our plan and I got a call the next day from a woman here asking if she could contribute money. Someone else rang to say they were totally in support, and a man stopped me today and asked me if he could help, so people are very supportive.”
Also hugely supportive were a group of builders and tradesmen rounded up by Cobh solicitor Charlie Daly, who has contacts in eastern Europe from his time with Voluntary Service International almost 40 years ago and who has already helped organise a container of aid for Ukraine.
“We managed to put together a team of builders and tradesmen, who are giving freely of their time, and we hope to start on four of the houses, one that is in poor condition and three that are in reasonable condition this week, and we hope to have them ready within six weeks,” said Mr Daly.
Among those helping out with his expertise is Limerick architect, Morgan McDonagh, who, fresh from surveying the houses, explained his motivation for getting involved. “For me it was 1939 all over again – history repeating itself – and I just didn’t want to sit idly by. I felt I had to do something.”
‘Ghastly shock’
Dr Colton also reflected on how people have responded to the images from Ukraine.
"Those of us who grew up during the cold war were used to the idea that it was a stand-off and it was inconceivable it would be anything other than a stand-off, but with the fall of the Berlin Wall there was optimism and hope, even though Georgia and the Crimea put question marks over that," he said.
“We’re an island off the European continent, but it is our continent and that’s why I think it’s come as such a ghastly shock to us and, of course, people in Ukraine have harnessed the power of their phones and cameras to post pictures and videos so we can see quite graphically what is happening.
“Those images have made it very immediate for people, and it’s seeing those sorts of scenes that we thought we had consigned to the last century happening on our continent today in 2022. It’s had a huge impact on people and that’s why they have responded with such generosity and kindness.”
