‘Drop Allianz’ protest at Celtic Park

A protest against the insurance company Allianz's ongoing sponsorship of the GAA's national football and hurling leagues has taken place outside Derry's Páirc na gCeilteach.

The protest was organised by ‘Derry Gaels for a Free Palestine - Seámus Gallagher, Conchúr Ó Cearalláin and Gearlat Ó Mianain - with ‘Gaels Against Genocide’.

The ‘Drop Allianz’ Protest took place on Saturday afternoon before the first League match of the season - Derry v Tyrone. 

According to ‘Drop Allianz’ campaigners, Allianz is the largest private investor in Israeli Bonds (Almost $1 billion, which Israeli President Herzog said were “critical to the war effort”. 

‘Drop Allianz’ highlights the recent UN Report on the economy of genocide which identified Allianz as an “enabler” and recommended corporate entities to terminate relationships directly linked with, contributing to and causing human rights violations and international crimes.

‘Drop Allianz’ protest at Derry’s Páirc na gCeilteach - The Derry News (@DerryNow) digital report.

A protest against the insurance company Allianz's ongoing sponsorship of the GAA's national football and hurling leagues took place outside Derry's Páirc na gCeilteach on Saturday… pic.twitter.com/7QrYyaOdP4

— Catherine McGinty (@CathMcGin_Tea) February 1, 2026

Derry and Tyrone Gaels were joined by  several well known county players including Derry’s Eamonn Burns, Karl Diamond, Dermot McNicholl (Derry 93), Damian O'Hagan, Brian McGilligan and Kieran McKeever, and Tyrone’s Eugene McKenna.

Addressing the crowd, three-time All Star winner and former Tyrone manager Eugene McKenna said: “To see the presence of people here today is definitely heartening. 

“What was also heartening was that last Saturday evening in Omagh, we had a blanket 50 metres long.  The Tyrone County Board allowed us in on the pitch with it. I think that is important,” he added.

“The tide is starting to turn slightly against Allianz. It has turned slightly against the people in Croke Park who took this decision.

“There is no accountability for the decision that they made. All we can do is keep turning up, keep it going and everybody here, well done.”

Knitted by Craftivism for Palestine, founded by Anna Doyle and Niamh Bonner, the blanket to which Mr McKenna referred is a visual interpretation of the huge death toll of Palestinian children in Gaza since October 2023. 

Speaking to The Derry News at the ‘Drop Allianz protest, Derry Gael, Nodlaig Ni Bhrollaigh said: “We stand here today, Gaels from Tyrone and Derry and we remember the 14 people who were killed on Bloody Sunday. 

“And it is from that history and that understanding that we are here today because we understand what it is like to stand against huge, powerful forces,” she added.

“These people are powerless. More than 20,000 children have been killed. This morning children were killed in Khan Younis shelter in tents, and it is for that reason we are here because this company, Allianz, not only did it invest in the Genocide, but they doubled investments in 2024. And that shows that its business activity is very supportive of what’s happening. So not only is it investing, it is profiting from a genocide.

“Allianz as a company should have learned from its history, where it was involved in insuring Nazi concentration camps. 

“The company in recent history has said it atoned for that and it was committed to human rights but it is very clear from Allianz’s business activity that they have total disregard for human suffering.

“The people here tonight, former Derry greats and Tyrone greats, who battled on the field, manys a time are here together and they are united in their opposition , not only to Allianz but to Croke Park’s decision, the shutting down of debate,” said Nodlaig Ni Bhrollaigh.

“The bedrock of the GAA, as they know from their governance guide are the clubs and the clubs have been silenced. Their motions have been shut down across Ireland and as well as that, we are being told that the motions that were approved, may not even make it to the floor of Congress [February 27 and 28, 2026],” she added.

“This is not the Association we love and it is for us to protect the ethos and values and that is why we are here because we are about what we can do for the GAA, not what the GAA can do for us in terms of commerce.

“The GAA was here long before there was a corporate Croke Park and we must go back to the real values. We cannot, absolutely cannot, consideration the foundation of the GAA, we cannot be associated with a company that is investing in and profiting from a genocide,” said Nodlaig Ni Bhrollaigh.

The ‘Drop Allianz’ motion to GAA Congress has been approved by nine counties so far. It states: “The GAA must act in line with international law and in support of humanity by ending the sponsorship deal with Allianz; beginning the process of ending insurance provision by Allianz; and inserting a new rule to ensure that in a time of conflict, the GAA will follow UN guidelines on Business and Human Rights for future deals and contracts”.

The ‘Drop Allianz’ petition has been signed by 800 county players including: Shane McGuigan (Derry), Aoife Ní Chaiside (Derry), Peter and Pascal Canavan (Tyrone), Neil McManus (Antrim), Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (Antrim), and Brendan Devenney (Donegal). It was formally handed into Croke Park on August 20, 2025.

GAA President Jarlath Burns has defended the association’s continued sponsorship with Allianz.

In December he said Allianz Ireland was not involved in the war in Gaza and that dropping the sponsor could make the GAA a “toxic prospect” for future sponsorship. He also referenced the severe disruption of finding a new insurance provider. 

The decision to remain with Allianz followed an assessment by the GAA’s Ethics and Integrity commission, which determined Allianz PLC aligned with the GAA’s ethical framework.