Event to Mark 300 Days of Gaza Conflict Told -’Despite The Carnage, There Has to Remain Hope’

Those present at a poignant and emotional event in Camlough village to mark 300 Days of the current savage destruction of Gaza and the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, were told that despite the carnage there has to remain hope.

The commemoration organised by the local ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ Group involved the planting of a tree by well know and respected community activist Donna McCoy Sloan who in 2021 was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Donna was told by Gaels Event Genocide coordinator Pat McGinn that her and her family’s presence at the event epitomised all that Donna in her life and work had done to be a ‘voice for the voiceless’

Breandán Lewis speaking to those who attended the event at the Centenary Garden in Camlough village said,

“To give some context to us gathered here today as Gaels, last Sunday 80,000 people gathered in Croke Park to watch one of the great events in Irish sporting and cultural year.The all-Ireland senior men’s football final.Id like you to imagine whether you were there or watching on TV, in the midst of all that excitement, joy and celebration you look around and half that crowd are suddenly gone. They are no more. That is the extent of what Zionist Israel has done in Gaza”.

He continued,

“Yet despite all of this, there is hope. Our gathering here today is only one of many organised by Gaels Against Genocide and one of the many solidarity events organised across Ireland, Europe and the  world where hundreds, thousands and indeed millions of people will stand with Palestine.All these people will continue to exert pressure on their governments to end their collaboration with genocidal Zionist Israel and to instead recognise the rights of Palestinians to a safe and prosperous life in their own state”.

Breandán’s address focused significantly on the Palestinian struggle and that of the Irish and he drew parallels and examined  similarities including the twin threads of resistance that ‘run through the history of our two peoples and places’.

Breandán concluded,

“Equally important is by looking where we have come from in our darkest days, we can see hope and a way forward. Horrendous though life is at the moment under the jackboot of Zionist Israel there can and there will be a better day for Palestinians”.

Donna McCoy Sloan who along with her family  planted the ‘tree for Palestine’ at the event, speaking through her daughter Caoibhe Ní Shluain told those present that she was honoured to be present in Camlough to show her support for the Palestinian people, a cause she had supported and highlighted for many years prior to her being diagnosed with her condition. She also said that despite the challenges she faced with her MND condition, she would still continue to do what she could to stand with the Palestinian people.

Pat McGinn one of the organisers of the event read aloud the poem by Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour, ‘Resist, my people, resist them’. Dareen Tatour who now lives in the Westbank after returning there after living in Switzerland in exile, had in 2015 been arrested and then in 2018 jailed by Israel for reading her poem on social media outlets. 

A message from her to those present in Camlough was read out by Pat.

In it she told all present “Thank you for this wonderful initiative that stands with truth and with Palestine.

Big hug and thanks from me and Palestine to everyone in this event.

Palestine will be free”.

Concluding Pat thanked those who helped organise the event and all present for their continued support, and he encouraged GAA clubs and all who shared an interest in the Palestine issue, to in their own appropriate and respectful way continue to ‘Talk about Palestine’

Ends.