Politicians call on FAI and government to be more like acts quitting Ed Sheeran's tour

THE CONTROVERSY ENGULFING pop star Ed Sheeran’s US tour has caused rumblings in Leinster House, with opposition politicians saying the government and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) need to follow the “brave” example of Irish artists at the centre of it. 

Sinn Féin, Labour and People Before Profit all urged the government and the FAI to follow the example of the artists who have quit Sheeran’s tour over their support of Palestine and back a boycott of the upcoming Ireland versus Israel Nations League football fixtures.

Over the course of two hours last night, all the support acts on Ed Sheeran’s US tour withdrew from the upcoming dates, in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who earlier this week was dropped from the tour over his on-stage comments in support of Palestine. 

Dublin singer Aaron Rowe, Irish folk band Beoga, who perform as Sheeran’s backing band, US singer – and brother of Billie Eilish – Finneas, as well as Danish pop band Lukas Graham all put up statements online announcing that they were leaving the tour in support of Macklemore. 

Irish band BIIRD, who had previously toured with Sheeran, also put up a statement in support of Macklemore. 

Speaking today on the plinth at Leinster House, Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly said her party stands in support of Macklemore and the other artists who took a stand and that she sees it as a “very important lesson for the FAI [Football Association of Ireland]“.

She noted the “huge support” for the artists from people in Ireland and said:

“There’s a lesson for the FAI to listen to what it is that people want. They want to stand against genocide. They want to stand on the side of the oppressed people of Palestine.”

Similarly, People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said Aaron Rowe, Beoga and the other artists have all taken a “brave” stand and “deserve great credit” for doing so. 

“It really puts to shame the government’s role in all of this,” he said, criticising them for not supporting a boycott of the upcoming football fixtures.

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“We would like to see the government show the same backbone and principle, and have the same courage and selflessness, as we’ve seen with Aaron Rowe, Beoga and the other artists,” Boyd Barrett said. 

Labour Party TDs also backed calls for the upcoming fixtures to be boycotted, while Labour TD Alan Kelly said Ed Sheeran “threw his friend under the bus in favour of commerciality”.

His party colleague Ged Nash added that the Labour Party’s position has been consistent:

“There’s a genocide being perpetrated on the Palestinian people by the Israeli regime, and I think every sentient human being with any concern for human rights at any level across the world has to be clear on [that].  And it’s up to individuals to make their stand.

He added:

“And it’s very interesting that in the United States now, the country that heralds itself as a beacon of free speech is actually far from it when you look at how this issue has been handled.” 

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger praised the artists for “setting an international example” and said she hopes the Irish football players, who are due to go head-to-head against Israel will also look at this as an example.

“I hope the Irish players look at this and see the massive support in Irish society and internationally. Those small acts of solidarity, which are extremely brave, have an impact.

“Already, the whole world is now looking at Palestine. Celebrity artists who haven’t opened their mouths, [who] have stayed silent, are now going to have to consider opening their mouths.

“And I really think if the Irish players, who we have to appeal to at this stage, because the FAI and the government have been ignoring all of the campaigns, that next week it is really decision time for the players, and the whole country will get behind you,” Coppinger said.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has argued that a boycott of the upcoming Ireland men’s football team’s matches with Israel may have “no impact at all” on Fifa or Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Meanwhile, FAI president Paul Cooke has argued that a boycott of the games could lead to relegation of the team to League C of the Nations League, which would damage Ireland’s seeding for Euro 2028 qualification.

A significant “Stop the Game” campaign has grown in prominence since a tennis ball protest disrupted Ireland’s friendly game with Qatar back in May.