Children living in the West Bank have been enjoying Gaelic sports following the launch of GAA Palestine.
Launched in January with the war in Gaza ongoing, GAA Palestine aims to introduce “Gaelic games in all its forms to the children of Palestine”.
Youngsters in the region have hit the ground running, trying their hand at football and hurling in the first two training sessions.
Announcing the launch of the new sporting group in a social media post, Irish Sport for Palestine said that the organisation aimed to provide a space where children could “enjoy these sports and thrive amongst the turmoil of conflict”.
GAA Palestine is here!!
— Irish Sport for Palestine (@Sport4Palestine) August 1, 2024
GAA Palestine are introducing Gaelic Games in all its forms to the children of Palestine, where they can enjoy these sports and thrive amongst the turmoil of conflict.
Our traditional Irish sports can give hope, confidence, and connection to Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/mW8VdLWYfw
It added: “Our traditional Irish sports can give hope, confidence and connection to Palestinian children, and will be beside them with support all the way.”
The new GAA club has been launched with support from Gaels Against Genocide, Dubs For Palestine, Palestine Sports for Life & FAJR Scientific.
FAJR Scientific brings free medical and surgical care to Palestine.
An Irish volunteer working with FAJR in the West Bank sourced the hurleys and said that the children had really taken to the sport.
“When I took the training session with the kids it was amazing, they got really excited when they saw the hurleys, in the videos you can see them using it with one hand but we just wanted them to get a feel for them and have a bit of fun,” said the woman who did not want to be named.
“But they loved it, some of them were really good, very talented players . One of the kids said to me that was the first time anyone had said to him that he was a good at a sport.”
She added that sports was a much needed escape and was really beneficial for their mental health of the children many of which have experienced trauma.
She plans to hold more sessions at the Am’ari Camp, one of the region’s most densely populated refugee camps which is home to between 3,000 and 4,000 children. She said that sourcing enough hurleys and jerseys for the children is set to be the biggest challenge for volunteers.
As a result the newly funded GAA Palestine has also launched a fundraiser to help make their “vision a reality”.
Funds donated will be used to fund training programmes, sports equipment and community events.
Donations to Palestine GAA can be made here.