We believe that the National Hunger Strike Rally organised by the National Hunger Strike Committee for the 13th August scheduled for Casement Park should be allowed to go ahead in the name of 3 members of the Association, namely Joe McDonnell, Kevin Lynch and Kieran Doherty who died on Hunger Strike in Long Kesh 1981. The request from GAA HQ to ask the Antrim County Board to make Casement Park unavailable for the event is disgusting and we believe that the GAA have seriously underestimated the strong feeling around this emotional issue. We believe that this commemorative event is in line with the ethos of the GAA in terms of Cultural and Historical promotion. We believe that the GAA have a responsibility to promote such events as opposed to demoting them. In addition to this, Casement Park has been at the centre of similar rallies in the past and therefore is a poignant site for such a rally, not to mention it being one of the only possible stadiums that could deal with the anticipated crowds. It is not a political party event, it is run by Irish people who give their time voluntarily to commemorate those who gave their lives for the cause of irish freedom and who made the ultimate sacrifice for that cause, the same as Roger Casement himself. We call on the GAA to reverse this request and to fully support the event.