Palestinian community on Leeside presented with bowl of shamrock
By Daniel O’Neill
A new banner was recently unveiled in Cork city with the hopes it will urge the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill.
The Cork Council of Trade Unions placed the banner on the SIPTU headquarters at Connolly Hall on Lapps Quay. During the ceremony, the Palestinian community in Cork was also gifted a bowl of shamrock outside Connolly Hall by Honorary President of the Cork Council of Trade Unions, Joe Kelly, Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle, and President of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, Finbar Geaney. Kanan, a young member of the Palestinian community was gifted the shamrock to show Irish solidarity with Palestine.
The event was attended by people such as the SIPTU Honorary President Mary O’Sullivan, Senator Laura Harmon and several Cork city councillors.
Joe Kelly said: “The bowl of shamrock symbolises the continuing solidarity between the people of Ireland and Palestine. Just as we have strong links to the people of America, through our shared history of oppression and long search for peace our people are now similarly linked to Palestine.”
Adrian Kane, Cork Council of Trade Unions spokesperson and SIPTU Divisional Organiser added: “This week, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin handed a bowl of shamrock to Donald Trump in Washington. While we understand the political necessity in the Taoiseach maintaining what is a several decades long tradition, we feel it is equally essential that we mark the continuing oppression of the Palestinian people by Israel with the backing of the USA.”
He discussed how Trump threatened to remove the Palestinian population from Gaza and turn the area into a holiday resort, saying that it would be the largest case of ethnic cleansing since World War Two.
He closed his statement stating: “By our symbolic presentation of a bowl of shamrock to the Cork Palestinian community we wish to make clear that the people of Ireland stand with the Palestinians in their search for peace and justice in their homeland. The Government must live up to its commitment to the people of Ireland and Palestine by enacting the Occupied Territories Bill immediately. We cannot accept products or services in Ireland which are produced on land illegally stolen from the Palestinian people.”