Protest TODAY: Central Bank Must Not Renew Israel Bonds on 2 September

 Press Release, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, 19th August 2025

A protest, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will take place outside the Central Bank of Ireland on North Wall Quay, TODAY Tuesday, 19 August between 12.30pm and 2pm, to demand that the Central Bank do not renew approval of sale of Israel Bonds in Europe on September 2nd.

Speakers: Donnchadh O’Laoghaire TD, Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, David Landy of Jews for Palestine and Academics for Palestine, Paul Murphy TD, People Before Profit, Daire Dempsey, TENI - Transgender Equality Network Ireland, and a representative from Conradh na Gaeilge

Why? The Central Bank of Ireland is the sole gateway into the EU for Israel’s genocide-funding bonds. Approval by the CBI is given on an annual basis and the current approval ends on 1 Sept. These bonds fund the forced starvation and the genocide of the Palestinian people being perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.

IPSC Chairperson Zoe Lawlor said: “It is shameful that twenty-two months into the live-streamed genocide being perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza the CBI is set to renew approval of Israel Bonds on the 2nd September. Not only the people of Ireland, the trade union movement, the solidarity movement, county councils and city councils but also the Oireachtas Finance Committee has called for an end to the approval of Israel Bonds by the CBI. This Report, published two weeks ago, states unequivocally that Israel Bonds 'assist the financing of Israel’s violations of human rights and contravening international law'.

 

"The government has to end the direct involvement of the CBI in apartheid Israel’s sale of genocide-funding bonds. The CBI is an organ of this state, and its complicity in genocide makes Ireland complicit. The government must stop renewal of Israel Bonds and end the flow of funds, authorised by the CBI, from Europe to Apartheid Israel for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity - including the forced starvation of the entire people of Gaza and the threatened forced displacement of over 800,000 people from Northern Gaza.”

David Landy of Jews for Palestine, and Academics for Palestine said: “We are asking the Central Bank to do the absolute minimum required of it under law – to end the sale of Israeli war Bonds, to finally end this direct Irish participation in Israeli genocide. This funding of genocide has been a shameful chapter in our nation’s history, and it must stop now.”

Donnchadh O’Laoghaire TD, Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs said: "The urgency of the situation in Gaza cannot be understated, as starvation closes in on thousands, and the Israeli Government continues to push on with its plan to occupy Gaza and to remove it from the map. The international community has sat on its hands for far too long in the face of genocidal policies. The Irish government must use every lever at its disposal, and clearly ending the facilitation of Israeli war bonds is one of those. We need to show leadership and act now. The people of Gaza and of Palestine need us to act."  

The Fascist Times survival guide

Joy is an act of resistance💪💝

Despite the increasingly dystopian, authoritarian world we live in, my family & I continue to find peace & joy in our friendships, travels & outdoor adventures. Not being in denial of Israel's genocide in Gaza, enabled by our Western governments & the ongoing pandemic (repeated forced infections with a level 3 biohazard) is eviscerating. When reality is this twisted & cruel, feelings of helplessness & despair so overwhelming, the mind reaches for denialism. It's a short-term, unconscious survival strategy: shutting out that which seems impossible to bear. In the long term though, living life in denial of reality is a form of psychosis, which causes harm to self & others.

As a therapist, working with trauma patients, the most threatening act was inviting them to revisit their traumatic events(s). Opening old wounds, covered in layers of tough, unyielding, sinewy scar tissue, exposing the rawness and pain to daylight: hurts. Moving from a state of emotional dissociation & repression, known to cause physiological & psychological harm, to processing those triggering feelings & confronting reality, is where the healing & harm reduction begins. The acute phase of the SARS2 pandemic, the lack of preparedness and the chaos, mass deaths and disablement that ensued, resulted in collective trauma which is being exploited by our political leaders. We're just cogs in a bankrupt (morally & financially) capitalist system, the survival of which depends on us consuming tat (online, social media, "reality" TV) & not feeling or caring very much at all. 

I choose to care: About forced disablement, forced displacements, genocide, our planet and the future of humanity.

I choose to feel and process this trauma. 

I choose to resist.

I choose reality & living life without causing harm to myself or others. I haven't been sick in 6 years & am fitter & healthier than I've ever been. I choose to live my life without SARS-Cov-2 (or any airborne) infections. Without being forcibly, repeatedly infected with a vascular, neurotropic, organ damaging, level 3 biohazard. Turns out the scientists that warned disease prevention is the best way to safeguard population health, were right. RIP public health science.

Choosing reality in this timeline is a tough gig. So, I pace myself & repeat my reality check/stayingsaneinaninsaneworld mantra since 2020: Grief & joy in every day. Making room for both. Helps me stay grounded in reality whilst protecting body & mind from the enormity, anger & grief of that. It's a life hack that I swear by. Requires mindful use of social media. Highly recommend.

Random joyful moments (just a snap shot): March-August 2025. In no particular order👇

When you find a secret river spot deep & clean enough to swim in & hang out with friends on hot summer days. Bliss.

When you forget your cossie & it's a heatwave so...

Sit awhile, read, breathe, let the sound of the flowing stream wash your worries away.

The swifts frolicking in the sky above. Playful, soft, like hand in satin glove

Hopped off the bike to film the swifts. Any excuse...

Himself: Mountain biking at start of day

Shush, it's a Wood pecker wood pecking💞

Prizes for correctly guessing song & language said song is sung in!

March: Camper trip to Germany & the Czech Republic.

Son at German border: "Let's hope they don't check your passport. Your articles about Israel's genocide in Gaza are grounds for arrest under terrorism legislation here".

Me: "Let's hope they don't check at the UK border either" Journalists were being arrested in the UK since 2023, homes raided, for exposing Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza🙃

Someone needs to start a news outlet that captures this timeline & call it: The Fascist Times

Fascist Times soundtracks contributions from himself👇

1) You fascists bound to lose by Woody Guthrie, featuring Rhiannon Giddens💪✊

2) Cognitive dissonance blues

Resisting with  joy👇💪💖

Germany & Czech Republic road trip

Fantastic outdoor market town. Street vendors everywhere

Skiers gone, had the slopes to ourselves to bike & hike 💕

Wild lake swimming👇

Mother's day hike with my boy💓

Never took a single moment with this bundle of joy for granted. Stealing as many magical moments as I can, for as long as I can💓

Magic

Traditional spud planting (March). Between the slugs & shoats (cross between sheep & goats - my word!) who frequent our garden, they didn't stand a chance

Offending shoat interlopers!👇

Carrots & radishes survived & thrived👇

Courgettes, tomatoes, rocket, radishes &  lettuce. Harvesting this veg for the chief chef is a great feeling. Washing up never felt like a fair deal💪💚 

Ready to plant out

First courgette of many this season & still going strong

Courgette flowers in batter for starters

Garden veg mix for mains

First attempt at growing tomatoes not too shabby

Gone fishing!

Catches of the day🎣

Gutted

I do like to be beside the seaside...

When your Shaolin monk mate says it's time for Kung Fu💙😎

Sprat haul, off the pier, deep fried in batter. Yum

May: Wonderful day seaweed foraging & touring the magnificent Mungo Murphy's seaweed & abalone farm in Connemara.  Learning all about the science of aquaculture https://www.mungomurphyseaweed.com/ Amazing, sustainable, ethical business run by two hugely knowledgeable, brilliant, badass women 💪👏😎💙

Castle tour with friends👇

Teens in their natural habitat💙💖

Foraging for berries

Father's day hike: My 2 favourite humans in the whole wide world. Couldn't be prouder of my life partner & father of our son. His hands on parenting is defined by expressions of love, in words & actions. He has taught our son that, real men hug their sons (& daughters!): Even when they're taller & cooler and, that our son is loved, seen & cherished for the incredible human he is - unconditionally 💖

Sowing the seeds of love💖

Cat crashing my yoga 💕

There were other joyful encounters with fabulous folk but not everything has to be shared💙💞