First Irish imam promotes mosque
Originally published in The Irish Times on Tue, Mar 16, 2010.
PLANS FOR Galway’s first mosque are to be outlined at a peace conference being hosted by a Muslim chapter in the city today.
Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív and Imam Ibrahim Noonan, described as the first Irishman to qualify as an imam or community leader, will be keynote speakers at the conference in Galway’s G Hotel.
Local TDs, Senators and councillors and the Garda Síochána have also been invited to the event, along with representatives of the Jewish and Christian communities.
The conference is being hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Ireland. The association, which was founded in 1889 and has members in 195 countries, endorses separation of mosque and state.
Its spiritual founder, Ahmad, preached over a century ago that there was no place in Islam for “jihad by the sword”, and advocated moderation, restraint and defence of Islam by “jihad of the pen”, through writings, lectures and debates.
The association’s Galway chapter recently secured planning approval for the city’s first purpose-built mosque in Ballybrit.
Imam Noonan, who is originally from Co Waterford, studied both Christian and Muslim theology in Pakistan and London. He has served as imam in Iceland and Britain before coming to Galway.
He said plans for the mosque would be exhibited at the conference and visitors would have the opportunity to ask questions. A documentary on the community will also be shown, and “everyone is welcome”, the association’s secretary Imran Ahmed has said.
There are an estimated 3,000 Muslims in Galway, and the new mosque will be open to all, the association says. Currently, the association holds its prayer gatherings in Wellpark in the city.
Muslims are now the third-largest faith grouping in the Republic after Roman Catholics and Church of Ireland members, and there are mosques in Dublin, Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo and Cork.
Most are Sunni Muslims, but there is a Shia mosque in Dublin’s Milltown. The peace conference opens in the G Hotel, Wellpark, Galway at 4.30pm today.
