GAA Palestine: The student bringing hurling to the West Bank

Cathal Ó Gaillín never expected his love for hurling to take him beyond the shores of Ireland, let alone to the West Bank. Yet, just months after reaching out to GAA Palestine, the student from Donegal found himself stepping off a plane and heading into the occupied Palestinian territories, hurls and sliotars in tow.

A lifelong player of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s (GAA) ancient sport, Cathal had long been aware of the deep historical and political ties between Ireland and Palestine. “Coming from still-occupied Ireland, our struggle has always been entwined with the Palestinian struggle for liberation,” he says. He went on to add that “GAA has always been a cultural expression of our resistance.” So, when he came across the initiative online, he knew he had to get involved.

GAA Palestine was founded just over a year ago, when London-Irishman Stephen Redmond first began conversations with community leaders in the Al Am’ari refugee camp in Ramallah. The shared histories of Ireland and Palestine quickly became the foundation for a new project: introducing hurling to Palestinian children. Soon after, Clare native Claire Liddy, a social care worker, visited the camp on a humanitarian mission and carried with her the first batch of hurls and sliotars. It was there that the first training sessions took place, giving way to what became the Moataz Sarsour GAA Club, the namesake of a 17-year-old player killed by Israeli forces just a month after his first session.

The bond between Ireland and Palestine has been foundational to the project’s growth

For Cathal, the project has always been about more than just sport. “Palestinian childhoods are defined by fear and trauma,” he says. “Claire, with her professional experience in play therapy, can attest to how such simple things like sport can make a difference.” The club offers children in the camps a moment of normalcy – an opportunity to gain confidence and form friendships amid the daily hardships of occupation.

Yet despite the joy that hurling has brought to the children, the grim reality of occupation looms over everything. “The illegal occupation affects every facet of life in the West Bank,” Cathal explains. Travel must be meticulously planned around curfews and checkpoint closures. Training sessions are subject to sudden interruptions. Packages of equipment can be rejected without explanation. Most harrowing is the knowledge that something could happen to any of the children they coach. “One of the club’s founders has a son in Gilboa prison,” he says. His name is Maher Haroun, a young freelance journalist. “His trial date keeps getting pushed back, and he’s facing up to 18 months in a jail that resembles a torture camp,” Cathal explains. “We dread the day we get a phone call to say one of the kids we’ve come to know has been abducted or worse.”

The student’s first experience of the West Bank was overwhelming in every sense. “I can only describe it as the greatest experience of my life,” he says. “I believe in being a traveller, not a tourist. Go and embed yourself in a place, experience it, not as some stand-off European, but as a local.” Walking through the streets of Ramallah, eating with families who had invited him into their homes, drinking Arabic coffee that he now longs for back at university in Aberdeen, he felt a sense of belonging. He recalls “a bus journey through al-Quds” – the Arabic name for Jerusalem – watching the sun set over the city’s ancient buildings and quotes Mourid Barghouti’s I Saw Ramallah: “It scarcely felt real.”

The generosity and warmth of the Palestinian community left a lasting impression on Cathal. He recalls one moment in particular: after a meal at a barbecue spot in Al Am’ari, where one of the older club members worked, he and his fellow volunteers paid their bill and left a small tip. Hours later, at nearly midnight, the young worker tracked them down through the camp’s winding streets – just to return the tip. “He refused to have it any other way…because we were there and doing work for the camp, he wouldn’t take anything extra from us. Where else would you find that?”

The bond between Ireland and Palestine has been foundational to the project’s growth. “Solidarity among imperialised people is of the utmost importance,” Cathal says. “When I describe the checkpoints, most Irish people of a certain age will know exactly what I mean. When I speak of the kidnappings, we remember internments. When I speak of innocents being shot, we think of Bloody Sunday, Ballymurphy.” Although he acknowledges that the scale of the violence in Palestine is far greater, the shared understanding of colonial oppression fuels the determination to act. “We have a saying: ‘Níl saoirse go saoirse an Phalastín’—there’s no freedom until Palestine is free.”

The most immediate goal, however, is to bring a group of around 30 Palestinian children to Ireland this summer for a cultural exchange

GAA Palestine operates with a clear distinction between true solidarity and charity. “Charity would be landing somewhere for a week, doing an activity, then packing up and leaving,” Cathal says. “Solidarity is about being long-term and sustainable.” Whilst international volunteers like himself provide resources and coaching support, the Moataz Sarsour club is entirely run by Palestinians on the ground who set training schedules, recruit players, and manage facilities.

The success of the Ramallah club has then paved the way for expansion: new teams are now developing in Bethlehem, Tulkarem, and Hebron. The long-term vision is even more ambitious: one day, GAA Palestine hopes to introduce hurling to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and even Gaza, as the enclave looks to rebuild from Israel’s devastating onslaught. The most immediate goal, however, is to bring a group of around 30 Palestinian children to Ireland this summer for a cultural exchange. Fundraising efforts are already in full swing to make this dream a reality.

In addition to training boys, GAA Palestine has also begun coaching girls in camogie – the women’s version of hurling. “We showed them camogie finals on laptops, just to see if they were interested,” Cathal recalls. “They really were.” Since then, training has begun in earnest, giving young girls the same opportunity to enjoy moments of childhood free from the pressures of occupation. While challenges remain, Cathal has been heartened by the determination of local organisers and players alike. “The coaches have the same dreams for the girls as the boys – to grow, gain confidence, and enjoy being children, despite the difficult situation of their lives.”

It has been grassroots efforts back home in Ireland that have driven funding for the initiative. Cathal himself raised over £2,300 by running 150km throughout December, a challenge that has since inspired others to do the same. Donations have also poured in from GAA clubs across Ireland, with helmets currently being the most sought-after equipment. Additionally, proceeds from GAA Palestine’s merchandise, sold through Boru Sports, contribute directly to funding the project’s expansion.

For Cathal, the experience has transformed his perspective on sport itself. “It’s brought a new shine to the GAA’s founding tenet – community and pride of place,” he says. “Through competitive play, you sometimes forget that you start playing as a child simply because it’s fun. Seeing the kids in Palestine using hurls adorned with black, red, and green, encouraged by adults whose lives revolve around providing for the next generation, has really brought home the magic of our games and our association.”

For students who want to support GAA Palestine, Cathal encourages engagement in any form. “Like, share, follow – help spread the word,” he says. “If you’re involved in a GAA club, spare helmets are hugely appreciated. If you want to run a fundraiser, get in touch.” Most of all, he urges students to continue to organise on campus and “heed the calls to action from the Palestinian people.” In Cathal’s eyes, “this ceasefire in Gaza isn’t the end – it’s the start of a new phase that will ultimately end with victory, liberation, and return.”