Massive March in Dublin & Cork Demands Ceasefire in Gaza
In a historic display of solidarity, thousands of people flooded the streets of Dublin and Cork on Saturday, united in their call for an immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Strip. Organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and backed by over 70 groups, including trade unions, civil liberties organisations, and student unions, the demonstration has been hailed as the largest pro-Palestine protest in Ireland to date.
(Also read First-Ever Coffee Festival taking place in Dublin this March.)
Thousands of marchers demanded Ceasefire in Gaza
The march commenced at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin, where supporters gathered at 1 pm before making their way towards the Department of Foreign Affairs. The rally was marked by a sea of Palestinian flags, posters demanding an “end to the Gaza genocide,” and symbolic displays such as makeshift washing lines adorned with baby clothes, symbolizing the young lives lost in the conflict.
At the forefront of the march, four individuals held mock corpses in bloody body bags, representing the escalating civilian casualties. Protesters of all ages, including babies in buggies and elderly individuals with walking frames, participated in the demonstration for a Ceasefire in Gaza.
Throughout the march, impassioned chants echoed through the crowd, with one poignant refrain declaring, “In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.” A heartwarming exchange between a mother and her daughter highlighted the unity underlying the protest, transcending national boundaries.
Séamus Ó Nualláin, a participant from Nenagh, Tipperary, expressed his profound sadness for the situation in Gaza, emphasising the unforeseen inhumanity of the conflict. Ciara Leonard urged support for South Africa’s legal case against Israel in the International Court of Justice and questioned the Government’s response.
Zoe Lawlor, chair of the IPSC, conveyed the rejection of Israel’s actions by the people of Ireland, denouncing the violence, racism, ethnic cleansing, starvation, siege, and horror faced by the Palestinian people.
Simultaneously, over a thousand people marched in Cork, emphasising the growing desire among Irish citizens for concrete actions to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians. Martin Shiel of the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign criticised the government’s reluctance to support South Africa’s case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
The global day of action also saw rallies in London, where Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, drawing parallels with the Irish peace-building experience. These protests highlight how urgent it is to alleviate Gaza’s humanitarian situation and promote long-lasting peace in the region as the world comes together in solidarity.
