A group of six Palestinian boxers on a tour of Ireland will be in Drogheda later today.
They will be appearing at the statues of legendary local fighters the late Tony ” Socks” Byrne, an Olympic bronze medalist and Deirdre Gogarty, one of the first world champion women fighters, beside Scotch Hall on the south quay at 2pm.
They will be greeted by the Mayor of the town, Cllr Michelle Hall and various local councillors including former Irish international boxer Cllr Eric Donovan, from Tullyallen.
Cllr Donovan and his Sinn Fein party campaigned for the palestinian boxers to get visas to come to Ireland and will also do a training session with them afterwards at Drogheda Boxing Club.
The Palestinian boxers include six fighters from Ramallah and among them is OIlympian and former world championship competitor Waseem Abu Sal.
The boxing team is in Ireland for a week and also visiting Dublin and Belfast.
They are hoping to raise funds for the people of Gaza and the West Bank who have been battered by the Israeli Army and far right Jewish settlers respectively.
The situation in Gaza is horrific with many people starving and the boxers hope to collect as much funds as possible to help buy food for them.
Cllr Donovan has urged the people of Drogheda to turn out in full force and give their Palestinian visitors a massive show of support.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald met the fighters in Dublin and said:” The friendship between Ireland and Palestine has stood the test of time and will endure forever.”
