Yevhen’s friends visit grave to say their goodbyes

THE people of Skibbereen organised a memorial service at the grave of Ukrainian man Yevhen Mishchenko last Friday, at St Patrick’s Cemetery in the town.

Mr Mischenko, who died at his accommodation in the town last month, was known as ‘Papa’ to his friends, many of whom had expressed their disappointment that they were not told about his funeral, which took place the previous Thursday.

Denny Collins, who runs the Paragon in the town centre which is now home to 50 Ukrainian refugees, said he knew Yevhen very well and was very upset that his funeral had taken place without anyone in the town having been informed in advance.

Mr Collins told The Southern Star that Yevhen had ‘fallen in love with Skibbereen’ and was to be seen regularly walking through the town.

Friends of Yevhen’s organised the ceremony last Friday having heard the funeral had taken place without their knowledge almost a week earlier.

They laid flowers at the plot and spoke a few words over it, saying their own special goodbyes and remembering the soft spoken man who had made West Cork his home since the war had devastated his home country.

It is hoped that the subsequent publicity around his burial may prompt relations in Ukraine to discover his passing so they will know where he has been laid to rest.

The address where he previously lived in Mariupol no longer exists as it has been destroyed by the occupying Russian forces.