Family of late Finbar Cafferkey to speak at gathering to mark two-year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine

THE family of the late Finbar Cafferkey are to speak at a gathering marking the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Large crowds are expected in Westport this Saturday, February 24, where the local Ukrainian community will gather to mark two years since the start of the war.

Finbar Cafferkey of Cashel, Achill, was killed last April in Eastern Ukraine while providing support to Ukrainian forces in the area. His body still has not been recovered. 

Saturday’s gathering is being hosted by Westport Welcomes Ukraine and will commence at The Octagon at 1pm with music and a show of support. 

A short service honouring those fighting in Ukraine, including Mr Cafferkey, will then take place at 2pm in the nearby St Mary’s Church. 

His brother, Colm, and aunt Phylomena will say readings at this service.

The Cafferkey family are well-known in Achill, having run Ted Lavelle’s Pub in Cashel on Achill Island for many years.

Mr Cafferkey was known as a social campaigner and was involved in the Shell to Sea campaign in North Mayo.

In 2015 he went to Greece to assist refugees fleeing the war in Syria. In 2017, he travelled to northern Syria to join the Kurdish militia group YPG in its fight against the Islamic State.