Singer Imelda May wore a traditional Palestinian dress and expressed her support for people of the war-torn enclave on tonight’s Late Late Show – just weeks after a music group were stopped from doing so on the programme.
Her red-and-black dress was less recognisable as Palestinian attire than the traditional keffiyeh scarf, but the Dublin songstress took the opportunity to draw the audience’s attention to her attire.
“This is Tatreez embroidery from Palestine by a couple of Palestinian sisters… and they make pieces of art, they put their lives and embroider their lives into [clothing],” she told host Patrick Kielty.
“I want to show my solidarity with them… and for peace and love, and against war and children being harmed and maimed, and against genocide, and against occupation, and also for Jewish people who use their voices to fight for peace as well because that’s tough too.
“I wanted to show my solidarity and I wanted to wear this beautiful piece of Tatreez embroidery, and show the love, especially on International Women’s Day,” she added.
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Patrick Kielty looked uncomfortable and changed the subject immediately without referring to the singer’s comments on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
Last month, the Irish Women in Harmony music group were told by RTÉ not to wear pro-Palestinian clothing and accessories due to the broadcaster’s policy on impartiality.
It confirmed that the group had been asked to remove badges and clothing in support of Palestine ahead of their live performance on the Late Late Show.
RTÉ told PA that contributors are asked not to wear clothing related to “one particular point of view” in the absence of a forum for the representation of all views.
Imelda May also spoke about the loss of Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowan last year, describing The Pogues singer as “a lover, full of love, peace and joy” who was “very spiritual”.
“He liked to fight for the underdog. He liked to write about the underdog. But he was just so, so brilliant. The way he played with words. He was a literary genius,” she said, adding that he was “up there with Brendan Behan”.
She said she “loved Sinead so much”, describing her as her “pal” and recalling that they used to “keep each other going”.
“She saved me, she saved me a couple of times… She was just a really good friend and I loved her so much,” said May.
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