Muslims have been praying in the stadium for the past five years when Covid-19 rules made mosques unsuitable for worship.

The Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council's chairman, Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, led the gathering in reciting the Eid prayer, which honours Prophet Ibrahim, also known as Abraham, who sacrificed his son as a sacrifice to God.

Dr. Al-Qadri hailed Croke Park as “an iconic beacon of Irish culture” and expressed his gratitude for the venue's record-breaking Eid attendance today.

“For us to be able to spend our day of Eid here, especially with what is happening right now, the divisive rhetoric, the racism that is becoming prevalent, it shows that institutions such as the GAA are truly committed to inclusion, truly committed to their motto of 'where we all belong',” he stated.

“It is evident to Irish Muslims like ourselves. We are receiving an embrace rather than merely being welcomed or tolerated.”

The results of the local election, according to Dr. Al-Qadri, who ran this year in the Dublin seat as an independent MEP, further demonstrated that Ireland has “no appetite for hatred or division” against minority communities.

Additionally, he exhorted the Irish Muslim community to “reach out to the larger Irish society” by getting involved in local sports and the GAA.


“Although many individuals may not have personally encountered Muslims, they may harbour many unfavourable preconceptions and bad prejudices about them. And as Muslims, I think the greatest way to address it is to interact with people,” he stated.

GAA President Jarlath Burns issued a statement wishing a “warm welcome to the Irish Muslim community” and said that the GAA's “commitment to diversity and inclusion” was demonstrated by the two groups' ongoing cooperation.

After Eid al-Fitr, which commemorates the conclusion of Ramadan and a month of fasting, Eid al-Adha is the second most important holiday for Muslims.