WATCH: Lord Mayor of Cork invites public to join him in an event in solidarity with the Ukrainian people

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher, has invited the public to join him tomorrow at an event organised as a show of solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

At noon, the Lord Mayor will tie a yellow ribbon around the gates of Bishop Lucey Park and is asking the Ukrainian community in Cork, and friends of the Ukrainian community, to do likewise.

“Tomorrow at 12 noon, I’m asking the Ukrainian community here in Cork city to join me at our People's Park, our Peace Park, on Grand Parade where I, as Lord Mayor, will tie a yellow ribbon around the gate at the entrance to our Peace Park in the hope for peace and I invite the people of the Ukrainian community in Cork to do the same but I also invite the people of Cork to do the same,” Mr Kelleher said.

The Lord Mayor has also instructed that the Ukrainian national flag be flown in the park.

It comes as last week Mr Kelleher directed that the Ukrainian national flag be flown above City Hall alongside the Irish national flag and also directed that City Hall be illuminated in the Ukrainian national colours as an act of solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

In a video posted to social media today, the Lord Mayor described the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine as “absolutely disgusting”.

“What is happening in the Ukraine at the moment is absolutely disgusting and I have no other words for it.

“A foreign invasion by an aggressive power, something that we thought was confined to the remnants of history in the last world war, is happening today in 2022.

“The civilian casualties are mounting on a daily basis.

“The humanitarian crisis in the Ukraine is getting worse by the hour,” he said.

Mr Kelleher said that a number of groups had been in contact in relation to clothing and food drives they are establishing in a bid to support the Ukrainian people and who are seeking means of transporting the goods overseas.

In his video message today, the Lord Mayor appealed to anyone who may have transport links to eastern Europe and can facilitate the transportation of aid to Ukraine to contact his office.