:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EXFDSJWG3IMDASWGJB3QOE7R6Y.jpg)
The Irish Red Cross has advised people against sending emergency goods to Ukraine as it can be difficult to get them into the country, the charity said, and distribute them to the right people.
The organisation has raised more than €1.25 million in just two days to help the people of Ukraine.
The money will be used to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items.
While it praised Irish people for their generosity, the charity said “with airports closed and transportation systems under pressure, sending physical goods is likely to add more stress to the situation on the ground”.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OW7PAIPP63AOZRXZUGQSM64LEA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GGLIXWSCEF3L6QSUDPB375MNCU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RNITBB4QDVOCUWW7RXAWRMYS44.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/S2BBARL7IHPVLOFCDP2SO3SGGI.jpg)
Making cash donations to organisations like the Red Cross or other organisations responding to the crisis in Ukraine allows for “standardised emergency relief goods” to be sourced locally, it said.
Many organisations around the country have been involved in providing aid for Ukrainian people affected by the war.
Las Tapas de Lola restaurant in Dublin will donate all its proceeds for the week to the Irish Red Cross. Its manager Roman Khakimov is Ukrainian.
Homeless charity Depaul Ireland is working with its sister charity Depaul Ukraine and has asked people to help those who will be displaced by the bombing by donating online at https://int.depaulcharity.org.
Royal Moscow Ballet
Meanwhile, the Royal Moscow Ballet has been forced to abandon the rest of its annual Irish tour. The troupe was due to perform this week in Derry, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Mayo.
Derry’s Millennium Forum said it had “taken the difficult decision” to cancel ballet company’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, due to be performed on Wednesday evening.
While accepting the company is made of “many different nationalities with many from Ukraine”, management blamed “safety” considerations for customers as its “main priority”.
In Limerick the University Concert Hall abandoned its scheduled performance of Swan Lake for Thursday. The decision to cancel was taken as a “signal of our absolute condemnation of the entirely unjust military actions of the Russian government and to demonstrate in solidarity with the people of Ukraine”, the concert hall said in a statement.
While it also acknowledged Royal Moscow Ballet included “many different nationalities” – including Irish, Belarussian, Uzbekistan, Japanese and Polish performers – it said the decision was “not taken lightly” and that it regretted the “negative impact” it had on the ensemble.
‘Great sorrow’
Galway’s Town Hall Theatre said it was cancelling with “great sorrow and deep regret” two shows due to take place on Saturday because of the “tragic events in Ukraine”.
Ticketmaster said sales for the group’s performance at Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Co Mayo on Friday “have stopped” as the “event has been cancelled”.
Waterford’s Theatre Royal, which was to run matinee and evening performances on Sunday, was still advertising tickets but blocked purchases with a message stating “sales disabled”.
The cancellations follow similar actions by the Helix in Dublin, the National Opera House in Wexford and the Cork Opera House.
Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre has also axed the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s planned performances of Swan Lake, running from March 29th to April 3rd.