Irish lawyer who stunned the world in South Africa ICJ Gaza genocide case to speak in Derry

Ms Ní Ghrálaigh gained international renown for delivering two damning presentations in the International Court of Justice in January and May 2024 as part of South Africa’s case of genocide against Israel before the Court.

The meeting will take place on June 14 at 7.00pm in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Great James Street, Derry. Ms Ní Ghrálaigh will be in conversation with journalist Allison Morris.

Speaking prior to the event Tony Doherty, Chairperson of the Bloody Sunday Trust said: “In January this year, as Derry prepared to mark the 52nd Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, an Irish lawyer gave hope to many around the world, and gave pride to Irish people, when she stood up in the International Court of Justice and denounced the actions of the Israeli apartheid state in its murderous onslaught on Gaza.

“At a time when many around the world were losing hope as the Gazan death toll continued to rise, the courageous actions of South Africa, and the devastating delivery of Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, in outlining and exposing the actions of the Israeli assault on Gaza demonstrated that despite the protection of the United States and the West, the actions of Israel would not be swept under the carpet.

“Despite the ongoing assault on Gaza, and the daily hell that the innocent people of Gaza are enduring, Blinne’s contribution at the ICJ has helped put down a marker for humanity that the Irish people can be proud of.

“It was an especially proud moment for us because Blinne is no stranger to us. She was an observer at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, and became a great friend to the Bloody Sunday families as she helped us on our own journey towards proper recognition of the murderous events of Bloody Sunday.”

Blinne Ni Ghrálaigh KC, is an Irish Barrister who practices in Ireland, Britain and in international courts, specialising in Human Rights and International Law.

The daughter of a Dublin mother and a Mayo father, she served as an observer in Derry for British Irish Rights Watch during the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, before acting for one of the firms representing a number of the Bloody Sunday victims and families when the Inquiry moved to London.

Addressing the International Court of Justice at The Hague back in January, Blinne Ni Ghrálaigh said: "The international community continues to fail the Palestinian people, despite the overt dehumanising genocidal rhetoric by Israeli governmental and military officials, matched by the Israeli military’s actions on the ground; despite the horror of the genocide against the Palestinian population being live-streamed from Gaza to our mobile phones, computers and televisions screens, the first genocide in history where its victims are broadcasting their own destruction in real time in the desperate, so far in vain, hope that the world might do something.”

"Gaza represents nothing short of a ‘moral failure’, as described by the usually circumspect International Committee of the Red Cross. As underscored by United Nations Chiefs, that failure has ‘repercussions not just for the people of Gaza . . . but for the generations to come who will never forget...”

"As stated by a United Nations spokesperson in Gaza last week, at the site of a hospital clearly marked with the symbol of the Red Crescent, where five Palestinians, including a five-day old baby, had just been killed: ‘The world should be absolutely horrified. The world should be absolutely outraged. There is no safe space in Gaza and the world should be ashamed’, she said.

Israel is contesting the genocide charge.

The public meeting in Derry is open to all, but space will be limited. For further details please contact Maeve Mc Laughlin, [email protected] .