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A march from Lurgan to Omeath to express solidarity with the people of Gaza, is to take place for the second year running next month. The event will take place on Saturday 6 June 2026. Last year's march, which covered a distance greater than the length of the Gaza Strip, attracted thousands of participants along the route.
The march, which will travel the Newry Canal Towpath, through Newry and onwards on the Carlingford Lough Greenway is organised in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the wider situation in Palestine. Organisers say that despite a ceasefire having been declared in Gaza, they believe the circumstances that prompted last year's march have not sufficiently changed to call off the event.
Organisers state that whilst Israel has declared a ceasefire in Gaza, they continue to occupy it and the West Bank, and the entirety of Palestine. They are also actively annexing parts of Lebanon & grinding the world economy to a halt with a war on Iran all in alliance with America.
IPSC Newry joint-chair Marc Mac Seáin said: "It was amazing to see the massive crowds of people marching last year with particular highlights in Lurgan and Newry. Regular working people displayed the deep solidarity they have with their fellow humans being brutalised half a world away, connecting through common experiences and struggle under the boot of colonialism, Imperialism. We're very glad to announce another march for 2026."
He added: "Whilst we have all been made intimately aware of Israel's sick Settler-Colonialism, their countless Genocidal acts, they have now undeniably and needlessly damaged the world economy through their senseless war on Iran alongside America. Even those critical or skeptical of our movement must see the lunacy in tolerating this pariah state further."
Organisers are also calling for action on a number of specific issues, including the presence of US military aircraft in Irish airspace, investment links between public bodies and defence contractors, the involvement of Palantir in the NHS, livestock exports to Israel, Allianz's sponsorship of the GAA, and the introduction of sanctions against Israel through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
Marc Mac Seáin said: "In the words of Karl Liebknecht our main enemy is at home. We are seeing North and South a rush towards militarisation at a time of deep social inequity and austerity, often with public investments made to firms deeply embedded in supplying Israel through the arms trade. We still see no sanctions and continued transit of war material by warplanes through Irish skies and airports. We must make BDS a basic tenant across Irish society. We march and make these demands not just in the interest of the people of Palestine, Lebanon or Iran or beyond, but the people of Ireland too."
Further details on the march route and timing are expected to be confirmed by organisers in the coming weeks.
