Ukrainian book collection reaches Youghal Library

A collection of books in the Ukrainian language has been made available to the public in Youghal and includes a mix of adult and children’s books, many of which are popular favourites.

Cork County Council’s Library and Arts Service at Youghal Library has received what it described as “a wonderful gift of 330 books”, donated by people in Kyiv, Ukraine and Bratislava in Slovakia.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Danny Collins expressed his gratitude for the donation: “This is a wonderful initiative and I thank all those involved in the project.

“The gift of these books will be a source of enjoyment and learning for many people in our community, and I’m delighted that our Library and Arts Service can offer this cultural exchange.”

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey said: “This donation is a great example of how communities can work together, even across borders, to share their cultures and experiences. It’s fantastic to see Youghal Library play a part in this exchange and I look forward to seeing more initiatives like this in the future.”

The project was a joint initiative between Cork County Council Library and Dell Operations in Slovakia. A call was put out for books to be delivered to 2 drop-in centres in Bratislava and Kyiv, and the local people responded. The books were collected and transported by Dell through Poland, and arrived at Cork County Library Headquarters earlier this year.

Youghal Library staff also hosted a coffee morning recently to mark the book delivery, which was attended by representatives from the Ukrainian community. The event featured delicious cakes, including a Kyiv cake made by local baker, Laura Coady.