BANDON singer Martin Leahy is hoping that his football protest single Don’t Play reaches the No 1 spot this weekend, writes Kieran O’Mahony.

The song was written in protest at Ireland’s planned match against Israel and features former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and singer Leen Marrouf. It borrows the famous Olé Olé riff from the Italia 90 World Cup anthem Put ‘em under Pressure which featured the voice of Jack Charlton.

Speaking to The Southern Star Martin said the campaign is going really well, but he stressed that if people purchase the track on the Bandcamp platform they must also download it for it to count a sale for the charts. ‘It’s at number two on the iTunes charts,’ he said.

‘It’s getting loads of shares on Instagram and there seems to be a momentum after the nationwide protests.

‘The window for buying the track is open until Thursday with the official Irish charts coming out on Friday. All money from the sales of the single will be going to a Gaza charity.’

He added that the song has been widely shared across social media with support coming from Amnesty International and Amnesty secretary general Dr Agnes Callamard.

Martin has been performing the song over the summer months at the weekly protests in support of the people of Gaza in the Grand Parade in Cork city and has already proven very popular.

Earlier this year, he ended his weekly protest about the homelessness crisis outside the gates of Leinster House after 200 weeks.

Don’t Play is available to buy from Bandcamp, iTunes and other platforms.