Coulter's 'Steal Away' recorded by Ireland's Ukrainian choir

Athboy singers take part in Dublin launch

A National Ukrainian Choir, brought together by local development companies across Ireland, has released a new version of Phil Coulter’s single, ‘Steal Away’, in collaboration with the singer. The choir is made up of 40 people who have fled Ukraine as a result of the war and who are currently based around Ireland. Two members, Nataliia Aleksieienko and Denys Fediai, are based in Athboy.

Nataliia is from Mariupol and through the choir met two others from her home city, whom she didn't realise were in Ireland.

Denys is student, studying online with a university in Ukraine, while he is attending Athboy Community School.

The single, translated into Ukrainian, has been launched at a special event in Saint Stephen’s Church, Dublin, where the choir performed the new single with Phil Coulter.

The song, originally written by Phil Coulter 40 years ago, tells the story of a couple who escape from the Troubles and there are many parallels with the current situation facing Ukrainians today. The song is available for download via Spotify, and the road to the launch forms the subject of a documentary due to be released in coming months.

Coulter says: “When I wrote Steal Away in 1983 the song was in response to the conflict that was happening in Northern Ireland at the time. I couldn’t have imagined that 40 years later it would have a connection to the situation facing Ukrainians today. I have travelled all over the world with my music and have seen how it can cross borders and create friendships as a universal language. It has been an honour to work on the recording of this single. I hope that the initiative has provided a source of unity and has given the choir some semblance of hope for a brighter future.”

Adeline O’Brien, CEO at Empower, local development company for Fingal, said: “We are extremely grateful to Phil Coulter for the time he has so generously given to this initiative. ‘Steal Away’ has shown us firsthand how instrumental music and song can be in uniting communities. The lyrics of the song are just as powerful today as they were in 1983 when the song was originally released. The choir has provided a safe space for those fleeing the war in Ukraine to express themselves, to find friendship, to seek out new opportunities and to learn English.

“Our community is always at the heart of what we do in local development companies and our goal is to deliver positive change for individuals and marginalised groups in our area. We wouldn’t be able to do this work without SICAP funding from the Department of Community and Rural Development.”

Carol Baumann, CEO at the Irish Local Development Network said: “We are delighted to have been able to co-ordinate this initiative in conjunction with local development companies across Ireland. The role of Meath Partnership and our 49 local development companies (LDCs) is to create vibrant and inclusive communities where people feel supported and welcome. Music is a universal language and has been a great way for the participants make meaningful connections and express themselves through song.

“The single ‘Steal Away’ is just one positive outcome from this initiative, the most important outcome is the impact on the community. Some of our national choir members have started their own choirs locally providing an opportunity for further integration. Along with initiatives like the Ukrainian National Choir, local development companies assist communities and disadvantaged individuals and groups with personal development and well-being; education and training; employment services; family supports and urban and rural development. Our LDCs are doing remarkable work in Meath and across the country, and we hope to continue to help build inclusive communities where all members are valued and supported.”

The choir project was set up under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), by Terry Hyland, CEO of Cavan County Local Development, Adeline O’Brien CEO of Empower, Fingal’s local development company and Michelle Mullally Programme, Impact and Communications Officer of ILDN.

The choir director, Yulia Boyko, is originally from Ukraine and has been living in Co Cavan for the last twenty years. Yulia now runs her own music school and was responsible for translating ‘Steal Away’ into Ukrainian. Ms Boyko, Phil Coulter and the 40-strong choir have worked together since April, resulting in the translated version being recorded.