Muslims Celebrate Eid al-Adha in Croke Park, Headquarters of Ireland's Traditional Sports

Around 200 Muslims gathered on the playing field in Croke Park stadium, Dublin, on July 31 to celebrate Eid al-Adha while observing social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Irish national broadcaster RTE reported that around 200 people were due to celebrate Eid at Croke Park, the headquarters of Ireland’s Gaelic Athletic Association and one of Europe’s biggest sports stadiums.

With the number of people allowed to gather in indoor spaces limited due to COVID-19, Croke Park, which normally hosts games of hurling and Gaelic football to crowds of up to 82,300, was chosen as a venue.

“Normally Croke Park and our other stadia would be a hive of activity at this time of the year with the staging of games but we are living through a very different year,” Gaelic Athletic Association President John Horan was quoted by The 42 as saying when the decision was announced.

“We are delighted to welcome members of the Muslim community to Croke Park to mark Eid Al-Adha, an important date in the Muslim calendar," he said.

Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chair of Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, told the BBC he approached Croke Park after seeing Muslims in Germany earlier this year using an Ikea carpark for Eid al-Fitr prayers.

Al-Qadri said he “knew about the history of the GAA” and said he wanted Muslims to celebrate their “dual identity of being Irish and Muslim”. Credit: Razan Ibraheem via Storyful