‘It needs to end as soon as possible’ - Devenney leads protest at Fr Tierney Park

Former Donegal footballer Brendan Devenney led a protest on Sunday in Ballyshannon, against the GAA’s ongoing partnership with insurance company Allianz.

This was part of a widespread backlash from GAA fans as protests were held across the country - including in Derry and Castlebar -  as part of the ‘Gaels against Genocide’ group. 

A crowd of 9,000 attended Donegal’s 1-22 to 1-18 win over Kerry in the National Football League. Devenney was joined outside Fr Tierney Park by some GAA greats all united in their condemnation of the insurance company. 

“Obviously Peter Canavan was there along with us, Brian McEniff (Donegal All-Ireland winning manager 1992), Barry Cunningham (Donegal All-Ireland winner 1992), Brian Roper stopped as well along with Niall McCready (both former Donegal and Aodh Ruadh players)” Devenney told DonegalLive.

The German insurance giant was named in a UN Special Rapporteur report on the Palestinian territories last June as being involved in sustaining and paying for Israel's actions there.

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The company has been a long-term sponsor of the GAA and The Camogie Association  which is creating a “Sportswashing blood banner above our games”, Devenney remarked. 

“We just want both things to end as quickly as possible. People are standing up and they’re sick that us - as an ethical organisation that’s here to promote our culture - are actively paying money into a regime that is destroying another culture, the Palestinian one”.