Trevor Hogan to speak at public talk on Gaza
Former rugby international to share his experience
Nenagh's Trevor Hogan will be the main speaker at an upcoming free public talk and information evening to raise awareness about the conflict in Gaza.
On Thursday, March 21, at 7pm in the Abbey Court Hotel, the former Irish rugby international will highlight the plight of the Palestinian people through his own campaigning, which includes his dramatic experience aboard the MV Saoirse in 2011, which was part of the Freedom Flotilla to break the siege of Gaza. As well as sharing his own experiences, Trevor will deliver a piece on the current horrors in the enclave and more generally on the oppressive occupation that Palestinians live under.
Mr Hogan, a champion of Irish Sport for Palestine, said: “In the face of the ongoing, depraved evil that Israel is unleashing in Gaza, it is more important than ever that we do all we can to support Palestine and the people of Gaza. I’m looking forward to coming home to Nenagh to discuss ways we can channel our solidarity into concrete action to help stop the genocide.”
The talk will be followed by a Q&A session where those in attendance can address topics raised by Trevor’s presentation. Accompanied by a short video presentation, a lively discourse is expected.
The event hosts, Nenagh Friends of Palestine, are aware that the Tipperary public still may have questions about the dynamics of Palestine, Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, etc, as well as the actors involved. The distinction between Judaism and Zionism is a crucial one, which bears scrutiny. To address this, the group will have an information stall on the night to distribute information on Palestine, the history of the Holy Land and the political reality of Israel. Here, attendees may request further information and discuss any related issues with members.
“We see the event as a way to engage with the general public, who no doubt see the horrible scenes from Gaza each night on the news, and want to know how it could possibly be allowed to occur,” said Jimmy Nolan of the Nenagh Friends of Palestine.
The group will also highlight their motion, sponsored by Cllr Seamus Morris and Cllr Joe Hannigan, which was passed by Tipperary County Council last month. The motion called on the government to enact of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 and the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023, as well as the invocation of the Genocide Convention. The group encourages the public to reach out by email:
nenaghfriendsofpalestine@gmail.com or Twitter:@NenaghPalestine.