Catherine Connolly’s 2018 Syria Visit Raises Controversies Ahead of Election

Catherine Connolly’s visit to Syria in June 2018 has resurfaced as a contentious issue following her announcement to run in the upcoming presidential election. The trip, which included stops in areas controlled by the regime of Bashar al-Assad amid an ongoing civil war, has drawn criticism from Irish-Syrian communities and raised questions about her political motivations. The Irish Times reports that some members of the Irish-Syrian community have urged the Labour Party not to support Connolly’s candidacy due to this visit.

Connolly, along with fellow politicians Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, and Maureen O’Sullivan, traveled to Syria during a period marked by intense conflict. On June 27, 2018, images of the politicians in Aleppo and the devastated Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp were circulated on social media by Syrian organizations. At that time, both locations were under the control of the Assad regime, which has been accused of numerous human rights violations during the civil war.

In late 2024, the Assad regime collapsed, ending a 50-year rule by the Assad family, as a coalition of rebel groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, took power. The new government has promised reform, although the situation remains unstable.

During her campaign launch on Wednesday, Connolly addressed questions related to her visit. She confirmed that she was one of the four members of the Independent group who undertook the trip, which she described as a fact-finding mission. This clarification comes after years of limited public comments on the motivations behind the visit.

Connolly stated that the trip was funded personally, and no members of the Syrian government were met during the visit. She emphasized her intention to understand the circumstances in Syria firsthand, saying, “On no occasion had I anything to do with the government, nor did I utter one word of support for Assad.”

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign has distanced itself from the trip, asserting that it did not organize or endorse the visit. In a statement, the campaign emphasized that it had no knowledge of the journey and does not conduct trips sponsored by state actors. The organization also noted that individuals sometimes misrepresent their affiliation with the campaign.

Both Daly and Wallace confirmed their participation in the trip, stating that they did not receive any financial assistance for the journey. In the Dáil, Daly remarked, “For the record, we paid for ourselves, went where we liked and talked to whom we liked,” reaffirming the independence of their visit.

Despite the lack of direct engagement with the Syrian government, the trip has stirred controversy. Critics argue that visits to areas under Assad’s control risk legitimizing a regime accused of atrocities. Photos from the trip show the politicians being guided by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, a group that has fought alongside Assad’s forces during the conflict.

In response to concerns about the nature of the visit, Connolly’s spokesperson explained that the tour was arranged by a travel agency with a long-standing presence in Syria. They noted that Connolly was not fully aware of the figures she met during the trip.

During her previous remarks in the Dáil, Connolly had expressed gratitude to colleagues who visited Syria, suggesting that firsthand accounts should inform Ireland’s stance on sanctions against the country. She stated, “It is following a visit to Syria and a tremendous amount of research that we stand here tonight to say we do not support the sanctions.”

As Connolly’s campaign unfolds, her 2018 visit to Syria is likely to continue eliciting scrutiny from both supporters and detractors. The political implications of this trip may have significant consequences for her candidacy and the broader political landscape in Ireland.