Derry Gael joins calls for GAA to termnate partnership with Allianz

The GAA is coming under increasing pressure to terminate its partnership arrangements with the insurance and asset management company Allianz.

The call has come from the group ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ which describes its aim as “to raise awareness to Allianz’s role in the genocide in Palestine”.

In 2023, Allianz expanded its support of the GAA by sponsoring the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship and the Camogie Association. In May it was announced Allianz sponsorship of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship would be extended for a further three years.

Speaking to The County Derry Post, ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ spokesperson Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh, said the group was “very disappointed at the lack of response by the GAA hierarchy” to the recent correspondence it received from ‘Gaels Against Genocide’.

Derry Gael Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh supporting Gaels Against Genocide.

According to Ms Ní Bhrollaigh, ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ wrote to the GAA on June 17 and July 1 and is now “publicly calling on the GAA to terminate its partnership arrangements with Allianz”.

“Gaels Against Genocide’ furnished the GAA with a comprehensive report in relation to the role of Allianz in sustaining the illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide in Gaza,” said the Derry Gael.

“It would appear Allianz is living up to its shameful past. The position of Allianz in relations to the current genocide has recently been confirmed by UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese in her report: ‘From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide’, released earlier this month,” she added.

“Ms Albanese’s report identified Allianz as an ‘enabler’ due to its investment of $2.5 billion in companies supplying weapons to Israel and the purchase of $1 billion directly in Israeli Treasury Bonds by its subsidiary PIMCO.

“Corporations have an obligation to conduct a heightened human rights due diligence and end their relationship with the ‘economy of occupation', in line with Francesca Albanese’s report’s recommendations.

“Given its history, ethos and values, ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ is calling on the GAA to demonstrate its commitment to international humanitarian law by taking urgent action. We wrote to the Association on two occasions and have yet to receive a response to the queries we raised and we are now publicly calling on the GAA to terminate its partnership arrangements with Allianz,” said Ms Ní Bhrollaigh.

Belfast Gael, Michael Doherty, a member of Pádraig Sáirséil CLG and ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ said it was “deeply disturbing” the GAA was “facilitating Allianz to present itself as a positive partner in sport and society in circumstances where it is directly supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people as documented by the most recent UN report”.

The ‘Gaels Against Genocide’ campaign comes as more than 300 Irish sportspeople have signed a letter to Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) Commissioner Sarah Keane, asking her to call an emergency meeting of the Banking Commission before the CBI is set to renew the prospectus to facilitate what they described as “the sale of Israel’s genocide bonds” this September.

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The press conference at which the letter was launched was held in Dublin’s Dalymount Park on July 10. Signatories included Wrexham FC’s James McClean, who is from Derry; Dublin GAA captain Con O’Callaghan; and Ireland soccer international Ruesha Littlejohn.

One section of the letter read: “Israel bonds are funding the mass death and destruction of the Palestinian people. These bonds enable Israel to buy the drones, bombs, white phosphorus – all the sinews of genocide are being facilitated by the sale these war bonds.

“The link between the dead Palestinians and the Central Bank is a straight line. No institution or individual truly committed to justice and human rights can remain complicit in the crimes of a regime that systematically violates international law and human dignity.”

The County Derry Post contacted the GAA and Allianz for comment. At the time of going to press, none had been received.