The Palestine women’s football team beat Bohemian FC in a historic match in Dublin’s Dalymount Park on Wednesday, May 15. The visitors earned a 2-1 victory over the hosts in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,390, among them President of Ireland Michael D Higgins.

The sun warmed the stadium as the players stepped onto the pitch, met with an eruption of cheers from the spectators. Before kick-off, Róisín El Cherif sang an emotional version of the Palestinian national anthem, while Lankum’s Radie Peat responded with her rendition of ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’. Outside the grounds, queer artist Emmalene Blake painted a mural of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl who was murdered by the Israeli military. 

 

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It was an even affair in the first half, ending goalless as the players descended down the tunnel. During the break, activists shared their calls to action and hopes for a free Palestine, and Irish musical legend Mary Black sang ‘No Frontiers’, encouraging the crowd to join in as the sun set over Dalymount Park.

The second half saw the game come to life, with Bohemians’ Katie Malone breaking the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Celebrating the goal, the home team honoured their opponents from the West Bank, holding up a t-shirt that read “Saoirse don Phailistín” (translated to Freedom for Palestine).

The visitors equalised soon after through an own goal, before Nour Youseff scored the winner in the dying stages of the game. After the final whistle blew, both Palestine and Bohemians celebrated on the pitch and with the crowd, before the party moved to Mono Bar where Annie Mac and her husband Toddla T performed a DJ set.

 

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According to Bohemians, the purpose of the game was to highlight the ongoing “human rights catastrophe” in Gaza, while calling for “peace, justice and dignity for all.” It took place on the 76th anniversary of Al Nakba, which refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 war.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid said: “There is no better way to commemorate the Nakba than by having our national team come to one of the few countries in Europe that is constant and consistent in its solidarity with our just cause. Thank you, Ireland, thank you to the Irish people, and thank you Bohemian FC.”

Footballer Busan Abuaita expressed: “Every time we play for the national team and hear our anthem it’s an amazing feeling, to represent not just our country but Palestinian women.

“This game is more special for us as we are going to a country that shows so much solidarity to the Palestinian people, we are doing this to play a game but also to support Gaza and all Palestinian people.

“We do appreciate the invitation, we are not always able to travel because of our jobs and visas and other issues but we have done all we can to be present in Dublin at this event, people there to support us when we are playing the game we love. It’s one way of fighting, we fight on the field, our presence is a message that we are still here as a people,” she added.

 

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Money raised from the event organised by Bohemian FC was used to facilitate the visit of the Palestine team, while also aiding humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.

According to Palestinian health authorities, Israel’s military offensive has killed over 35,000 people since the Hamas attack on October 7 last year and displaced the majority of the Strip’s 2.3 million population from their homes.