Actor Liam Cunningham and former intercounty players to address event calling GAA to drop Allianz sponsorship over Israel support

"The meeting is set to be held at the Le Chéile Community Centre in Donnycarney at 8pm on Thursday. Calls for the GAA to drop Allianz as a sponsor stem from the insurer being named among a list of companies in a report from UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The report, published last June, named Allianz Insurance among a group of companies involved in paying for the actions of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories."

"According to organisers Donnycarney Artane Palestine Solidarity, Cunningham will open the meeting with "some general remarks". Other speakers at the meeting will include former All-Ireland winning Dublin footballer Dr David Hickey, former Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy and former Donegal footballer Brendan Devenney. The trio will be highlighting "their opposition to the GAA continuing its sponsorship arrangement with the insurance company Allianz", and voicing support for current players who are opposing the sponsorship."

"During the ongoing hurling and football National Leagues, sponsored by Allianz, some players have refused to stand in front of signage with the insurance company's branding. The meeting will also hear from Irish National Teachers' Association (INTO) representative , who will speak about parents a schools around the country who have refused to have Allianz signage at their schools and campaigned to have schools not get insurance from the provider."

A meeting will be held at the Le Chéile Community Centre in Donnycarney at 8pm on Thursday. Calls for the GAA to drop Allianz as sponsor stem from the insurer being named among companies in a report from UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, which linked firms to payments supporting Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. Organisers Donnycarney Artane Palestine Solidarity say Cunningham will open with general remarks. Speakers include Dr David Hickey, Pat Gilroy and Brendan Devenney, who will oppose the GAA's Allianz sponsorship and support players objecting to it. Some players have refused to stand before Allianz-branded signage during National Leagues. Protests at GAA grounds and county board motions have pressured the association to reconsider the deal.

Read at Irish Independent