Gaza U14 soccer team to visit Nenagh

Fifteen young players from the Al Helal Soccer Club in Gaza will be based in Nenagh for much of their two-week visit to Ireland, which begins next week.

 

Arriving on July 13th, the team will comprise of 15 players and seven adults. Over the last number of weeks a national fundraising effort has been underway - including hillwalks, concerts and table quizzes. To allow support from the people of Tipperary, an online fundraising page and Gaza

 

Kids to Ireland account has been set up.

 

The team will initially be based in the Nenagh area and will spend time in Limerick, Cork and Dublin. Whilst in the Nenagh area they will be hosted by the Ormond Hotel on Kenyon Street with transport is being supplied by Andy Kennedy of Arra Travel. We have many events planned for the young team, including friendly matches with local soccer clubs, and a visit to Burgess has been arranged where the team will be introduced to the game of hurling.

 

If you want to help this initiative in any way, either with your time or financially please contact any of the committee members. Ring 087-2055361 or donate with the details given  below. More information can be found on Facebook at Nenagh friends of Palestine or the Gaza Action Ireland website.

 

TO DONATE: http://www.gazaactionireland.ie. There is also a Gaza Kids 2 Ireland Bank of Ireland, account no. 6528896; Sort Code 90 43 09.

 

This trip is all about bringing children to Ireland for a much needed break. It was initially launched by former Ireland soccer manager Brian Kerr and former Irish international rugby player and Nenagh native Trevor Hogan.

 

Trevor Hogan commented about the children visiting, saying: “They have by the age of 14 already experienced four wars. The Gaza Strip itself is home to two million people and with a population density which is already one of the highest in the world.

 

“The reality is that nearly all children under 15 will have never left an area that is no more than 26 x 7 miles in size. It has been described as the world's largest prison by many commentators. This is an opportunity for the people of Tipperary to play their part and help with this wonderful project.”

 

The Gaza kids 2 Ireland project is a joint initiative between Nenagh Friends of Palestine, Antrim 2 Gaza and Gaza Action Ireland, following on from a successful twinning agreement between the municipality of Gaza and Moyle District Council in 2012.

 

Nenagh organiser Joe Gilmartin, who visited Gaza in 2012, said: “As a participant on that trip, we were first introduced to the Al – Helal football club and it was there that the seeds of this ambitious project were sown. As soon as we got home we set about forming an umbrella group comprising members of each committee with a view to bringing the Under 14 youth team on a visit to Ireland.

 

“The realities of living under occupation and two wars put paid to these plans. The beautiful facilities built up over the years by the club were damaged by the Israeli bombs and at one stage the club's very existence was in question.

 

“But true to their indomitable spirit the members cleared the rubble and got on with their lives. Sadly some of the club's players and officials we had met on that wonderful trip are now among the dead and injured,” said Joe.

 

More information can be found at:

 

https://zazafl.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/brian-kerr-launches-gaza-kids-to-ireland/