Rugby stars and Tipperary hurling captain support Irish Ship to Gaza

SIX leading Irish sporting stars have lent their support to the MV Saoirse, the Irish ship sabotaged in the western Turkish port of Gocek in late June as it was preparing to sail for Gaza with Freedom Flotilla 2. Most of the other ships in the flotilla were stranded in Greece when that country's government, under pressure from Israel, refused to allow them to sail for Gaza to breach the illegal blockade of that region of Palestine.

Now, with repairs to the damaged Saoirse almost complete, fund-raising has begun to ensure that the ship fulfills its mission and heads for Gaza soon. These plans are under way as tension between Turkey and Israel over the slaughter of nine Turkish citizens on last year's flotilla continue to rise. Turkey recently expelled the Israeli Ambassador and has severed all military links with the apartheid state.

In the new video, top Irish rugby stars Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan, Eoin Reddan, Jerry Flannery and Trevor Hogan are joined by the captain of the Tipperary senior hurling team, Eoin Kelly, in calling for support for the Irish ship and for an end to the continuing Israeli siege of Gaza. Retired rugby star Trevor Hogan was on the Saoirse when it attempted to sail in June and has pledged to take part in any future sailing.