Ireland

‘We have been let down’: Chris O’Dowd joins hometown Palestine protest

Actor says small communities as ‘outraged and disgusted’ as those marching in cities

Chris O'Dowd and Dawn O'Porter with the Boyle Palestine Solidarity Group during their weekly demonstration. Photograph: Brian Farrell
Chris O'Dowd and Dawn O'Porter with the Boyle Palestine Solidarity Group during their weekly demonstration. Photograph: Brian Farrell
Marese McDonagh
Sun Jul 21 2024 - 14:29

Joining a protest in his hometown of Boyle, Co Roscommon, Chris O’Dowd has said there is no correlation between ordinary people’s view of the “absolute catastrophe and ethnic cleansing” happening in Gaza and the response of governments – with the exception of Ireland.

The Get Shorty and Bridesmaids actor, who launched the Boyle Arts Festival last week, joined a weekly “bridgil” for Gaza, gathering on a bridge over the N4, accompanied by his wife, author and television presenter Dawn O’Porter.

He acknowledged that many people feel helpless about the situation in Gaza but said the collective action of people in Ireland had been very impressive.

“And the marches, and eventually the Government’s stance, is something the rest of the world could learn from” he said.

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By contrast, in the US and Britain “the response has been so pathetic”.

He said it was important that small communities take a stance because they feel “as outraged and disgusted about what is going on” as those marching in cities.

“This is just a small way of letting that be known”.

Around 20 people attended the hour-long vigil.

The creator of a new Sky series Small Town, Big Story agreed that some people regard such actions as pointless. But he felt there was a value to them nonetheless.

“There is something to be said for the collective action of giving ourselves at least the opportunity to say to each other that we think it is f***ing wrong,” he said. “And that even if it is redundant there is solace in it.”

“It has been an interesting time. You look at so many atrocities that have happened through history and you are going ‘how did that happen’. And this year and the last few years, (you think) ‘oh just like this’.”

Pointing out that one million people, including himself, marched in London 20 years ago to protest at the planned invasion of Iraq, he said the then Labour government, “couldn’t give a f***”.

It was the same with the Gaza, “but it doesn’t mean the people don’t care”.

“It’s the people in power and the people who are benefiting from it. This colonist mindset just goes on and on,” he said.

Pointing out that there have been protests in the US, especially in universities, he said this had not been matched by action from those in power.

“I think we have been let down. We haven’t been represented worldwide.

“In all the polls there does not seem to be any correlation between what people want and what the governments are doing in response to this absolute catastrophe and ethnic cleansing- apart from in Ireland”.

Boyle resident Mary Gallagher, one of the organisers of the weekly gatherings, said locals were delighted with the support from O’Dowd and O’Porter.

“We are a group of ordinary people, of all ages and all walks of life with the shared feeling of overwhelming powerlessness and abhorrence at what is being inflicted on the people of Gaza.

“We feel so outraged by the genocide taking place in Gaza that we couldn’t sit at home and just watch it happening,” the teacher added.

She said that in the wake of the International Court of Justice ruling which founds Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories are in breach of law, “the Irish Government has a duty to inform European policy in relation to the war on Gaza and in relation to policy formation in the future”.

Chatting to neighbours, O’Dowd said: “It was a small moment and a small vigil but they will be back again next week “.