Peter Canavan lauded for response after Jarlath Burns slams GAA protestors

Strong words.

The pro-Palestinian protestors were once again condemning Allianz's sponsorship of the National League, with the German company's subsidiary, Pimco, a large investor in the Israeli government.

The continuation of the sponsorship was confirmed in December after an ethics committee was tasked with making a decision.

The protestors marched from Gill's pub in Drumcondra, and among them were GAA legends such as Peter Canavan, Colm O'Rourke and Pat Gilroy.

A group managed to storm the Croke Park meeting room where Congress was taking place, with GAA president Jarlath Burns claiming that a number of volunteers and security staff were injured during the incident.

“Because we went through a process, we have our Congress to go through, and I would not be bullied or intimidated by anybody who would come in here and try to do so."

Speaking on RTÉ during their coverage of Kildare vs Meath, Canavan passionately responded to Burns' words, with many praising the Tyrone icon.

Burns, who hails from South Armagh, also brought up the 1975 bombing of Donnelly's bar in his village of Silverbridge, which resulted in the deaths of three people including his 14-year-old friend.

Burns said: "They came into Donnelly’s bar, which is our local shop, and murdered three people, one of whom was a good friend of mine, Michael Donnelly.

"And I got into my car on the December 19, 2025 and drove to the front of Donnelly’s house, shop, pub, which is still there, to make a speech.

"I don’t need any lectures about what it's like to feel the pressure of illegal occupation.

"I don’t need any lectures or people shouting in my face about what it’s like to go to bed at night, fearful that somebody would barge into your bedroom and riddle you with bullets. Because that was my lived experience when I was young."

In response, Canavan said: "Yeah, strange comparison, but a lot of what he said, I would echo. In that it does strike a chord, and you go back to when we were younger and to what we had to endure. And, you know, Jarlath spoke about what happened in Donnelly's bar. There was a lot of atrocities went on, and what kept us going was the GAA.