Derry Gaels urge GAA to ‘cease relationship’ with insurance company
‘As the largest sporting organisation in Ireland, the GAA must show leadership in this time of genocide’ - Gaels Against Genocide
Prominent Gaels from Derry and Donegal have signed an open letter to GAA ard stiúrthóir (director general) Tom Ryan urging the association to “cease its relationship” with Allianz Insurance.
Among the signatories calling on the GAA to “demonstrate its commitment to humanitarian law” were: Aoife Ní Chasáide, Joe Brolly, Shane McGuigan, and Brendan Devenney.
Dr David Hickey (Dublin), Neil McManus (Antrim), Peter Canavan (Tyrone), Tomás Ó Sé (Kerry), Niall Cahalane (Cork), Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (Antrim), Michael Darragh McAuley (Dublin), Jane Adams (Antrim), Greg McCartan (Down), Paul Galvin (Kerry), Caoimhe Harvey (Clare) and Sorcha Gormley (Tyrone), were also among the more than 700 former and current county players, who signed the letter describing Allianz as “complicit in the Holocaust” and “now now enabling the genocide of the Palestinian people”.
The ‘Drop Allianz’ campaign was officially launched at a press conference outside Croke park on Wednesday.
It is being spearheaded by four grassroots humanitarian organisations: Gaels against Genocide, Dubs against Palestine, Irish Sport for Palestine and Gaeil ar son Gaza.
The open letter to Tom Ryan was received on behalf of the GAA by Alan Milton, its director of communications.
It referenced Allianz’s complicity in the Holocaust and highlighted current business activities contributing to the ongoing illegal occupation, apartheid and genocide in Palestine.
Allianz was described as an ‘enabler’ of the genocide in the recent report of Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967.
The open letter to Tom Ryan calls on the GAA to implement a key recommendation of the Albanese report that corporate entities must promptly cease all business activities and terminate relationships directly linked with, contributing to and causing human rights violations and international crimes against the Palestinian people.
In a statement to The Derry News, Michael Doherty of Gaels against Genocide said: “As the largest sporting organisation in Ireland, the GAA must show leadership in this time of genocide.
“It cannot continue with a ‘business as usual approach’ or allow itself to be used for social washing by Allianz. As a main sponsor of the GAA, Allianz presents itself as socially responsible and ethical. This masks the reality of their business activities in respect of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
The full text of the open letter read:
“A Ardstiúrthóir, Further to our recent correspondence and joined now by prominent members from across the Association, we hereby call on the GAA to demonstrate its commitment to humanitarian law and cease its relationship with Allianz. Complicit in the Holocaust, Allianz is now enabling the genocide of the Palestinian people.
“Professor Feldman referred to Allianz’s ‘disturbingly casual disregard for human suffering’ in the Nazi era.. Kurt Schmitt, Director General of Allianz became a Minister for the Third Reich. Allianz provided insurance for the facilities and workers in concentration camps. It deprived many Jewish customers of the proceeds from their insurance policies and funneled
the money to the Third Reich. As a result of the Company’s support for the Nazi regime, the New York Jets and Giants ended talks with Allianz for the naming rights of their new stadium due to the public outcry. The estimated deal was worth $30 million p.a.
“Allianz declared that it had ‘atoned’ and claims that it is committed to international human rights and to ensuring that it is not complicit in human rights abuses. According to the recent UN report: 'Economy of occupation to economy of genocide', Allianz is now ‘enabling’ the genocide of the Palestinian people.
“Elbit Systems is one of the biggest suppliers of military weaponry to Israel. Allianz insures Elbit systems and is described as a ‘principal shareholder’. On 1 August 2024, Elbit was awarded a contract of approximately $340 million for the supply of ammunition to the Israeli regime. In the 1st quarter of 2025, 32% + of Elbit’s revenue came from Israel as a direct result of the genocide.
“Since October 2023, Allianz’s asset management subsidiary PIMCO has purchased $960 million in Israeli war bonds. These bonds play a critical role in funding the genocide, illegal occupation and genocide. Allianz holds at least $7.3 billion in shares and bonds implicated in the illegal occupation and genocide.
“The UN Special rapporteur urges corporate entities to promptly CEASE all business activities and terminate relationships directly linked with, contributing to and causing human rights violations and international crimes against the Palestinian people.
“You will be keenly aware that women and children account for the majority of those murdered by the genocidal Israeli regime. Gaza has the highest number of child amputees in the world and thousands of children have been orphaned. Starvation is rampant while stockpiles of humanitarian aid are close by.
“We hereby request that the GAA promptly cease the relationship with Allianz.”
In a statement to The Derry News, a spokesperson for Allianz said: "Our long-standing partnership with the GAA is about supporting Irish sport and communities. Allianz Ireland is part of a global group, and while the wider group operates internationally across insurance and investment, as a matter of principle we do not comment on individual customers or business matters.
"What we can say is that all Allianz business decisions are guided by strict legal standards and world-leading ESG principles.”
The company also said it would not be providing any further comment beyond this.