BIG READ: Palestinian Ambassador's visit to Tipperary Town and Bansha

I had the great pleasure of inviting the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, to visit Tipperary and my home village of Bansha, on Tuesday, June 14.

I was delighted that the Ambassador accepted my invitation and she and her husband, Rami Abdalmajid, received a very warm welcome when they arrived at the Municipal District Offices on Rosanna Road to be greeted by Cathaoirleach of the county council, Cllr Marie Murphy, CEO Joe MacGrath, Director of Services, Pat Slattery, District Administrator, Anthony Coleman, Cllr John Crosse, Cllr Roger Kennedy and Cllr Annemarie Ryan and Deputy Martin Browne.

The Cathaoirleach told the Ambassador that they supported efforts towards a peaceful settlement in Palestine and that they hoped that this could come about through negotiation and dialogue.

“Ireland will continue to address the crisis and humanitarian situation with which we are now confronted in Gaza. Ireland has repeatedly underlined that no ceasefire will last without a serious political effort to address the causes of the situation in Gaza,” said Cllr Murphy.

CEO Joe MacGrath echoed the sentiments of the Cathaoirleach and said that even though the countries of Ireland and Palestine are some distance apart geographically, Ambassador Abdalmajid’s visit to Tipperary bridged the distance between the countries.

Ambassador Jilian Abdalmajid making a presentation to Martin Quinn in appreciation of organising the Ambassador's visit to Tipperary and Bansha

When I spoke I outlined the efforts of Tipperary Peace Convention in promoting peace across the world and I said that we must take a strong stance in defence of elected representatives from Ireland and from other countries who were denied entry to Palestine as moves such as this silence the voices of the Palestinian people.

In response the Ambassador urged the Irish Government to continue supporting the plight of Palestinians in her home country.

“Let’s, from Tipperary, call the international community and call the Irish Government to continue supporting the Palestinians, not only politically and financially, but concrete action from the international community. Politics is very important, but I feel the ties and the foundations from people to people are even stronger,” said the Ambassador who finished her speech by asking the Cathaoirleach to consider a twinning programme between Tipperary and a town in Palestine.

Others to speak at the reception were the District councillors present along with Deputy Martin Browne, Superintendent Eddie Golden and Superintendent Ciara Lee.

Representatives of a number of bodies were also in attendance along with Dean Richard McGrath representing the South East Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The Ambassador was presented with a scroll, Tipperary mementos and flowers and reciprocated by presenting a number of different mementos to the Cathaoirleach.

Following a quick cup of tea the delegation was on the road to Bansha and to Bansha National School.

Here, the Ambassador was greeted by the deputy principal Margaret McCarthy and by Chairperson of the Board of Management, Nancy Leahy.

In the bright sunshine the pupils had assembled in the yard and all were waving Irish and Palestinian flags.

It was notable that all the school windows were covered in the colours of Palestine and that a large banner welcoming the Ambassador was on display which had been made by the pupils of the preschool.

This was a really wonderful occasion and pupil representatives told the Ambassador about the history of Bansha and particularly about Canon John Hayes, about the school and the work involved in being awarded their sixth Green Flag-Global Citizenship and they celebrated with a variety of songs in Irish and English.

Maisie Flynn performed a beautiful Irish Jig for Her Excellency.

The Ambassador was very emotional when called on to speak and said that the occasion meant so much to her and to her native country of Palestine.

She urged the pupils to remember the people of Palestine and hoped for a day when Palestine would be free. From the school there was a short walk to the village green for the planting of an oak tree which had been organised by Bansha Tidy Towns.

The Chair of the committee, Helen Morrissey, welcomed the Ambassador and said that planting a tree was a very symbolic gesture and that it was a great honour to have a first visit by an International Ambassador to the school and village.

Following the tree planting ceremony I then escorted the Ambassador and her husband to the grave of Canon John Hayes, founder of Muintir na Tíre, and I also showed her the spot where Canon Hayes switched on rural electrification for Bansha.

Following the events in Bansha it was back to Tipperary Town and the Knockanrawley Resource Centre where the Ambassador was greeted by Noreen Meagher and Catherine Sharpe from the Board of Management and by Emer Leahy, Manager.

A large number of service users were in attendance and the Ambassador was briefed on the various programmes and services at the Centre and was given a tour of the centre and of the Organic Garden.

The Ambassador took a keen interest in the services provided in the centre and said that this was something that could be replicated in Palestine.

After Knockanrawley there was a short walk to Circle of Friends where the Ambassador was greeted by their Chairperson Jim Rhatigan and by many of those who are friends and supporters of the centre.

The Ambassador was given a tour of the Centre and of the garden and the recently opened therapeutic garden and she was presented with a DVD of the history and story of Circle of Friends by Jim.

At each location that the Ambassador visited she made a number of presentations of Palestine mementos including to the pupils in Bansha and to the various representatives at Knockanrawley and Circle of Friends and I was also honoured to receive a special presentation from the Ambassador.

The final leg of the visit was a visit to the Glen of Aherlow and to the statue of Christ the King where the Ambassador was greeted by Nora Mai Kennedy, Carmel Frewen and Helen Morrissey of the Glen of Aherlow Fáilte Society.

The Ambassador said that the final leg of the visit was the perfect ending to a perfect day and that she couldn’t have wished for a more special place to finish her visit than in the beautiful Glen of Aherlow and that she would always carry these memories with her wherever she goes.

In a statement, the council said: "On Tuesday, June 14, 2022, the Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Cllr Marie Murphy and members of Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel Municipal District welcomed Her Excellency Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Ireland to the Civic Offices in Tipperary Town. At the reception the Cathaoirleach, Cllr Murphy, spoke of her wish for a sustained ceasefire and peace in Palestine.

"She then formally proposed a motion that the Cathaoirleach and Elected Members of Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel Municipal District on behalf of the people of the District, accord a Civic Welcome for Her Excellency Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Ambassador of Palestine. This motion was seconded by Cllr Roger Kennedy and supported by councillors John Crosse and Annemarie Ryan (Shiner) and Deputy Martin Browne. The Ambassador was then presented with a scroll and a Tipperary crystal clock.

"The Ambassador thanked the people of Tipperary for the warm welcome and spoke of strengthening ties with Tipperary and her wish for a new generation of Palestinians who wanted hope and peace.

"Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid gifted the Cathaoirleach a book by Dr Yasser M Khaldi on Bethlehem, the birthplace of hope and also a hand-painted plate by Palestine artists.

"Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council, was delighted that the Ambassador chose to visit Tipperary and extended her a warm welcome and hoped she enjoyed her visit to Tipperary.

"Following her visit to the Council Civic Offices in Tipperary Town the Palestinian Ambassador travelled with her husband Rami Abdullmagid to Bansha to plant a tree as well as meeting children from the local primary school before returning to Tipperary Town to visit Knockanrawley Resource Centre and the Circle of Friends Cancer Support Centre.

"They concluded their trip with a visit to the Glen of Aherlow and Christ the King statue."