Determined Donegal couple complete 255km walk to Dáil urging action on Palestine

A retired couple from Ardara who were angered and frustrated by the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Palestine have reached Dáil Eireann after completing a 255km walk from their home. Click on the arrows to see photos by Eamonn Coyle who met them in Dublin

Former local GP, Dr Mireille Sweeney and her husband John set out on Friday, July 25 and completed their walk  which they named To The Capital For The People of Palestine on Saturday, August 2. 

They were joined by a number of people and groups - including Healthcare Workers For Palestine - along the route, and particularly on the final stretch into Dublin. On arrival in the capital, the determined couple brought their message to a number of key locations including Dáil Eireann. 

John and Mireille would like to thank all the people who supported them, walked with them and sent lovely messages during their unique journey.

“It is not the action of one or two individuals that may make a difference for the people of Palestine but the sustained and constant pressure applied by the many,” they say. 

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John explains to Donegal Live why it is a Walk to the Capital rather than to Dublin.

“It can work in any country,” he says. “Other people can do the same thing in their own countries. We have seen this throughout history, in France, in England. Walking to the Capital is a very strong message.”

Their walk has already captured the imagination of people in Mireille’s native France, where interest has been expressed in doing a similar walk. 

John and Mireille’s route brought them from their home in Ardara, and on to Pettigo and Enniskillen while many fellow Donegal people were making the same journey to Dublin for the All Ireland final. 

They continued via Belturbet, Cavan, Virginia and Kells, completing the final stage on Saturday, August 2 to arrive in Dublin for approximately 1pm. 

Having been following news reports of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine over the last years and months, John explains why they were finally spurred into action.

“Mireille and myself have been driving to go for a swim every morning at 8 o’clock and as we were driving down, there would always be a feature on the news about Palestine and about various people’s reactions and opinions,” he said. 

“They would always have maybe a professional healthcare worker or an NGO worker on as well, and they have been telling us, ‘there is going to be a famine here’ but still, they would be quite professional.

“But I just really noticed this week that they were practically crying as they were relaying their information.”

With Mireille’s background in medicine, she has been acutely aware of the huge challenges being faced by medical workers. 

They want to stress that their goal is to call on the Irish government to take a strong stance in relation to trade.

“Our government is following the EU line,” said John. “But what we need is for them to stand up and say no, to refuse to trade with Israel even if it means facing sanctions. I believe that if one government does that, others will quickly follow.

“They need to take a meaningful stance against the targeting of innocent people, of children, of healthcare workers,” said John. “And they need to get the aid through the border. There is no shortage of aid, it is just not getting in and that is leading to famine.”

John and Mireille’s frustration and sadness at the Palestine situation is evident.

“I have never before seen a situation where hospitals and healthcare workers are being targeted in this way,” says Mireille, who retired recently as Ardara’s GP. 

John says: “We cannot get our heads around how the governments of the world can allow this to keep happening.”

John and Mireille have an instagram account jmwalk4gaza, with updates and photos of their journey. 

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