Group highlights ‘miserable inequality’
A NUMBER of Wexford GAA stars - past and present swapped the green playing fields for the cold streets of the town on Satruday night as they took part in the ‘Solidarity Sleepout’, an event aimed at raising awareness and showing solidarity with the country’s homeless population.
Over 400 former and current intercounty players and managers took part in the sleepout which was organised by Gaelic Voices for Change, a new social action group of GAA players who are keen to use their profile to make a difference. Supported by the Gaelic Players Association and Women’s Gaelic Players Association, the group is keen to sound the alarm on Ireland’s housing and homeless crisis.
Wexford’s Bullring was one of 13 locations in Ireland where local stars slept rough for the night.
A minute’s silence was held in all locations for those who have died on the streets. So far, €180,000 has been collected and will be used to support charities such as the Peter McVerry Trust, St Vincent de Paul, the Simon Community, Focus Ireland and many others.
Former Wexford hurling captain Diarmuid Lyng led the Wexford sleep-out and was in a reflective mood after it wrapped up on Sunday. He said he had been struck by the number of voices on the street who were sincerely dissatisfied with the government’s response to a humanitarian concern.
‘People walking around their fellow people - one up, the other down - serves the humanity in neither. People who spoke to us said that they accepted that they have a role to play too in their own behaviours, how they contribute to the issue, but fundamentally they feel that at a structural level we are creating this problem by becoming economic slaves to vested interests in this land.’
He added that accepting that was to accept a ‘miserable inequality for all concerned’, saying that the country and its people should not be subjected to that reality.
‘The government must act in the interests of its citizens and improve levels of social protection. It was also a privilege to stand with fellow players, everyone that joined together got far more out of it than they could possibly have imagined.
‘This was always going to be an upside of this effort, more balanced players make better players, but that all played second fiddle to the issue at hand.’