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Allianz protest

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Watching the 6 o clock news this evening. They had an article on the 4 people representating Ireland in the Winter Olympics. They showed the 4 people with tops on and low and behold the first Sponsor name on view was Allianze. If Athletics representating Ireland have Allianze so prominent on their Logo why are the GAA people making such a big deal of their same Sponsor?

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 832 - 29/01/2026 21:37:13    2653964

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Replying To CCFabu:  "I think your last sentence gets to the crux of it really, but what I find frustrating is if I say that this is not reflecting my values as a GAA member, I am called a virtue signalling woke hypocrite. I find that attitude nauseating and arrogant, as if I'm some cynical lazy person looking for a pat on the head rather than feeling strongly about an issue. People who spout that nonsense seem very content in their own lives to hurl from the ditch and the status quo is fine and all the rest of it. I can't stand it - they'll happily say what's happening in Gaza is terrible and then criticise me for speaking about it, for going to a protest, for trying to make changes in my own community about it?

At the end of the day it is an issue for me and I'm saying what I believe the GAA should do about it, I will advocate for that and someone like yourself has made reasonable points about how complicated the whole issue is with the bonds and Allianz, that's all fair argument in my view. As I've said many times here I know this is a complicated situation for the GAA to navigate but I still think that they have choices to make between accepting sponsorship money and using products and services. Letting Allianz wrap themselves in the GAA coat and say how great they are for sponsoring the GAA is using our associations good image and standing in Ireland to help their own image. That's how sponsorship works and anyone who refuses to acknowledge that just isn't being honest in this debate in my opinion.

If you accept that's how sponsorship works, the question then becomes - do we want the GAA to give their good image over to companies with links that we find morally questionable (being generous)? And that's the complication like you say with PIMCO and all the rest - but the GAA are more than capable of making difficult choices from complex situations. It is still a choice to accept Allianz's money and I don't like the attitude from some areas on this that it's all just an inevitable situation that nobody, literally not one person, can do anything about. We all just have to accept things as they are and that's that?"
Look I don't have an issue with people protesting and it is genuine GAA people who are not happy rather than it being used as another stick to beat the GAA from distractors outside of it. I think the GAA has done the best they can here and there is enough distance between what happens and PIMCO and Allianz that continuing with them as sponsor is justified. If it was found that Musgraves continued to import goods from Israel to sell in their shops, I would take a very different view and yet I don't believe they have given that commitment. People may take the view that its an individuals responsibility to check if they are buying them or not - I would not take that stand. While I personally always check where good come from, a lot of people don't and it is at times well hidden.
However I think you may have missed one important point and I will use an example. Two major tech companies named in the report are big corporation tax payers in Ireland and for that matter another one is the biggest trading corporate with Israel who also pays a lot of corporation tax. We use their products daily as well. We personally or indirectly through our governments tax take and distribution of that tax are already morally compromised. Complaining then that the GAA is taking money from Allianz while not recognizing that we also do the same is where I have the issue. As I said if we were to recognize our own failings and understand the nature of what the complaint is against Allianz then I believe there is no issue.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2160 - 30/01/2026 06:44:48    2653980

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Replying To zinny:  "Look I don't have an issue with people protesting and it is genuine GAA people who are not happy rather than it being used as another stick to beat the GAA from distractors outside of it. I think the GAA has done the best they can here and there is enough distance between what happens and PIMCO and Allianz that continuing with them as sponsor is justified. If it was found that Musgraves continued to import goods from Israel to sell in their shops, I would take a very different view and yet I don't believe they have given that commitment. People may take the view that its an individuals responsibility to check if they are buying them or not - I would not take that stand. While I personally always check where good come from, a lot of people don't and it is at times well hidden.
However I think you may have missed one important point and I will use an example. Two major tech companies named in the report are big corporation tax payers in Ireland and for that matter another one is the biggest trading corporate with Israel who also pays a lot of corporation tax. We use their products daily as well. We personally or indirectly through our governments tax take and distribution of that tax are already morally compromised. Complaining then that the GAA is taking money from Allianz while not recognizing that we also do the same is where I have the issue. As I said if we were to recognize our own failings and understand the nature of what the complaint is against Allianz then I believe there is no issue."
This continuous raising of other issues/companies in people's lives is a red herring. If I decide to donate to concern for example people don't say why concern, why no x,y and z.
Also surely people can genuinely see the difference between a sponsorship relationship which involves mutual endorsement and a customer client relationship which does not.

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 1076 - 30/01/2026 09:08:50    2653988

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Replying To Scenicparish:  "Watching the 6 o clock news this evening. They had an article on the 4 people representating Ireland in the Winter Olympics. They showed the 4 people with tops on and low and behold the first Sponsor name on view was Allianze. If Athletics representating Ireland have Allianze so prominent on their Logo why are the GAA people making such a big deal of their same Sponsor?"
Because the wokies hold the GAA to higher standards apparently.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1759 - 31/01/2026 16:59:00    2654161

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Replying To Scenicparish:  "Watching the 6 o clock news this evening. They had an article on the 4 people representating Ireland in the Winter Olympics. They showed the 4 people with tops on and low and behold the first Sponsor name on view was Allianze. If Athletics representating Ireland have Allianze so prominent on their Logo why are the GAA people making such a big deal of their same Sponsor?"
Seriously. Maybe try to think of an argument someone on this site dedicated to the GAA would make against this point. It's actually not that hard.

Do you remember when you were a kid, did your mother never tell you that just cause all the other kids are doing it, it doesn't mean you should?

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1093 - 05/02/2026 00:25:18    2655048

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Replying To supermon:  "Seriously. Maybe try to think of an argument someone on this site dedicated to the GAA would make against this point. It's actually not that hard.

Do you remember when you were a kid, did your mother never tell you that just cause all the other kids are doing it, it doesn't mean you should?"
Have you gone protesting against Electric Ireland & Bord Gais yet or is that not allowed? Are you definitely sure AIB & Irish Life don't have investments in Israeli / Russian companies be it directly or indirectly?

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1759 - 05/02/2026 10:48:29    2655065

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Replying To supermon:  "Seriously. Maybe try to think of an argument someone on this site dedicated to the GAA would make against this point. It's actually not that hard.

Do you remember when you were a kid, did your mother never tell you that just cause all the other kids are doing it, it doesn't mean you should?"
Brilliant lol.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 459 - 05/02/2026 11:53:28    2655081

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Replying To supermon:  "I suspect if the report had been about Russia/Ukraine and not Israel/Gaza opinions would be very very different. A sponsor with links to Russia would be dropped very quickly. I just don't understand why it's considered different because it's Israel?"
Two reasons

1. Russia is classed historically as n traditional enemy or rival of the US and Europe, plus a lot of people share anti-Russian sentiment over the invasion of Ukraine, so dropping a sponsor with Russian links wouldn't be an issue, might enhance us politically for taking a stand, although the Trump admin seems to be bucking that trend by being more pro-Russia these days.

2. Supporters of Israel control or have significant influence over just about every major US and European corporation or industry, and thus possess exceptional and unrivaled lobbying influence in both the EU and US. They receive billions of dollars and euros every single year in donations from these businesses and from the US (~$3 billion per year) and from the EU, thus why a Country of similar GDP to Ireland and with a 9 million population can sustain such a powerful military for a tiny nation.

The risk is that by us starting to alienate certain companies for their financial contribution to Israel, a bunch of those companies might start boycotting Ireland, and that would include more companies that you could possibly imagine.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1603 - 05/02/2026 13:38:16    2655094

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The inaugural GAA 'Club Summit' event takes place this weekend at Croker... sponsored by Amazon!

Amazon is explicitly cited in that same 2025 report by the UN Special Rapporteur (Francesca Albanese), regarding complicity in the war in Gaza.

LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 654 - 05/02/2026 14:59:53    2655101

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Replying To LongfordgaaAbú:  "The inaugural GAA 'Club Summit' event takes place this weekend at Croker... sponsored by Amazon!

Amazon is explicitly cited in that same 2025 report by the UN Special Rapporteur (Francesca Albanese), regarding complicity in the war in Gaza."
I suppose there will be a protest organised or maybe not if there a weather warning for the weekend. We wouldn't want anyone to get wet.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1759 - 05/02/2026 15:24:11    2655107

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Replying To Square_B:  "I suppose there will be a protest organised or maybe not if there a weather warning for the weekend. We wouldn't want anyone to get wet."
So dont protest about anything unless the aim is to bring down everything? Or is it that you dont agree with the politics behind this particular protest and continuously dance around it instead of just coming out with it? Your constant agitation would suggest the latter of the two.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2597 - 05/02/2026 15:38:56    2655112

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Replying To SaffronDon:  "So dont protest about anything unless the aim is to bring down everything? Or is it that you dont agree with the politics behind this particular protest and continuously dance around it instead of just coming out with it? Your constant agitation would suggest the latter of the two."
The people protesting about this are complete hypocrites and it's been well shown to be the case on this thread.

The GAA must be held to higher standards of course. Spare me now.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1759 - 05/02/2026 16:12:47    2655119

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