THE 33 young Palestinian athletes hoping to come to Ireland on Friday July 18th are still holding their breath as they wait for their visa applications to clear.
As part of a fundraising campaign before the visa row erupted, the young athletes, and their 14 mentors, had posted their dream itinerary online.
It included a boat trip in Bantry Bay, but all plans are still on hold because they don’t have permission to enter or travel the country.
‘Against all odds,’ the group posted on the GAA Palestine Facebook page, ‘we’re doing all we can to make this tour happen. We’re not giving up hope.’
The row over the Government’s failure to grant these 47 people access to Ireland has led to people from all walks of life, including public representatives, bearing down hard on the Government to make this trip of a lifetime a reality.
And an aptly named online petition – Let Them Play – has amassed almost 28,000 signatures.
Supporters on the GAA Palestine Facebook pages say they are appalled that the visa applications for their summer tour in Ireland has been refused by the Irish Immigration Service.
‘To say we are deeply disappointed is an understatement,’ said one supporter who was amongst the thousands of people who took part in public protests on this issue.
Despite providing all necessary documentation, all visas were refused and the appeals process offered no real opportunity for the trip to proceed, according to a spokesperson, who claimed this is unfair, deeply frustrating, and not in keeping with other agencies who have successfully brought children to Ireland from other countries on similar tours.
Cllr Fergal Dennehy (FF), the Mayor of Cork, joined the debate by calling on the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to resolve the issue ‘swiftly and justly.’
The Fianna Fáil mayor said: ‘Cork has always stood for fairness and compassion, and we share a deep-rooted affinity with people facing hardship and injustice.
‘The opportunity for Palestinian players to engage with our communities, play our games, and experience the solidarity of the Irish people is not only a sporting matter, it is a matter of human dignity.’
