Palestinian boxers get a warm Waterford welcome
Mayor of Waterford City & County Cllr Seamus Ryan, along with Deputy Conor McGuinness, TD, welcomed the boxing squad visiting from Palestine to Waterford, they are, Wasim Abusal, Adam Shamali, Nada Khawaja, Nader Jayousi, coach, and Zaid Sukojani. All Photos: Joe Evans
The talented young boxers of El Barrio Gym received a warm Déise welcome last Friday, August 8, 2025.
El Barrio Gym is located in Waterford's twin city of Ramallah, located on the West Bank of Palestine. They've had a years-long connection to Waterford through boxing, and were integral to the twinning of the two cities.
In 2024, the gym made history as boxer Wasim Adusal became the first Palestinian boxer to compete at an Olympic event.
Wasim, Tamer, Nada, Zaid, Adam, Nidal and their coach Nader had been on a week-long journey from Belfast to Waterford through The Shamrock and Olive Tree Boxing Project.
Throughout the week, they played matches and held fundraisers aimed at helping children in Gaza. Along their journey, they met and trained with Olympic boxer Kellie Harrington.
In Waterford, they were met with warm welcomes from Mayor of Waterford City and County Council Seamus Ryan, Deputy Conor McGuinness, St Saviour's Brian Partridge and members from the twinning committee, including Chairperson David Rees.
Mayor Ryan said: "We're doing our best to foster relationships between Waterford and Ramallah and that's something we will continue to do."
He spoke about the terrible devastation being wrought on Palestine by the Israeli military. (Since October 2023, over 60,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed due to Israeli military action and bombardment.)
He continued: "It's very hard to even speak and see the horrors that are happening in your home country. We're watching this every night on our television screens, and it's very hard to watch. So I can only imagine what it's like for you to be on your side of the world. You're away from Palestine, but you could still see what's happening in your home country. That's very, very hard to take."
Mayor Ryan spoke to the athletes and their country: "As Irish people and as Waterford people, we stand with you in solidarity. We have a very good, strong group that supports the people of Palestine, that supports the people of Gaza and the West Bank."
Deputy McGuinness spoke about the origins of the twinning committee and how boxing played a role.
He said: "Brian Partridge and David Rees came to me several years ago while I was a councillor here in Waterford with an idea to twin Waterford with Ramallah."
He continued: "At that time, one of the major relationships that that twinning would be built on, was the relationship between boxing clubs here and boxing clubs in Ramallah and particularly El Barrio so it's really great to see you here in a city that is twinned with your city, in a country that is a sibling to your country, because the bonds between Ireland and Palestine are deep.
"They're not just born out of the hardships that our country has suffered and the hardships and the intolerable hardships that your country is going through at the moment and has for many decades of occupation and colonialization.
"They're born of, I think, mutual shared values of sport, of life, of family, of freedom, of enjoying all that's good about this world and all that we have at our disposal."
Deputy McGuinness went on to say: "What is happening in Palestine has happened here, and we know the pain, and we know the scars. I can't tell you the depth of solidarity and feeling that we have for the Palestinian people."
Coach Nader said that it was his third visit to the Déise.
"Waterford became a home for me 13 years ago, when I was a very new coach. I didn't know what to do with my boxers and how to elevate their level. Somebody said 'Brian Partridge'."
He spoke about the close bond he made with Brian through boxing: "We talked, and we came, and Brian treated me like a little brother. He treated my boxers like little brothers. His Mum and Dad definitely were like Mum and Dad to me.
"They put an eye on us and gave us their time. I remember they gave us half of their house, it was like a seven-star hotel and it was the greatest stay for three weeks."
Coach Nader praised all of the boxers, especially Nada, one of the few female boxers in Palestine. He said: "She boxed at the nationals. It was the first time we had girls at the nationals a month ago. She boxed again in Dublin, and she boxed yesterday in Belfast, and she did great in all of them."
There were several children from Gaza there to greet the team. One little boy spoke about his uncle living in Khan Yunis, whose house has been destroyed. The boy said: "We really don't care about the houses, the human beings are the most important."
Coach Nader ended with words of thanks: "I see Irish people, older ones, younger ones, youth and the little kids, they come together, wearing Palestinian T-shirts declaring their solidarity, which shows you that this is not a choice of one person. This is awareness for the whole nation of Ireland that I can't get enough of saluting you and your history.
"Thank you very much. We really appreciate it."
