President Catherine Connolly's sister set sail on the flotilla headed to Gaza on Sunday.
Dr Margaret has been a long time activist and has joined the flotilla bound for Gaza in an attempt to deliver life saving aid.
Dr Margaret is a well known GP in Shantalla, Galway and has ran a successful GP practice in Sligo for 40 years.
The mission includes 80 vessels and 1,000 participants from over 100 countries and is the largest civillian attempt to break the siege of Gaza to date.
In an interview with The Sligo Champion before her departure, Dr Margaret said: “I have joined the flotilla because we cannot stand by while millions are subjected to forced starvation and an illegal siege. The flotilla is a powerful symbol of international solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, who are enduring an ongoing genocide and an inhumane blockade now approaching its 18th year.”
“And today we all know that the vast majority of people in Ireland stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle for their legitimate rights, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of a free, independent and sovereign state of Palestine. Our flotilla sails to deliver hope. We are sailing to Gaza to break the 18-year Israeli naval blockade, deliver urgent humanitarian aid, and demonstrate international solidarity with Palestinians facing famine and ongoing conflict," she continued.
“’Sumud’ means steadfastness, symbolising the resilience of the Palestinian people and the flotilla’s commitment to providing hope and much needed aid,” Dr Margaret said.
Dr Margaret said that four Irish people would be joining her on the flotilla, along with people from Scotland, Norway and the US. She has been assigned as the medic on board and has spent the past two weeks in Italy prepping for the trip.
“We’re all here for a reason – to open a humanitarian corridor. We have medical aid on board and we want to break the seige of Gaza by land, air and water. They (Israeli Defence Forces) have no right to board our boat. If they do then we will offer no resistence. We will put our hands in the air and there will be no violence from us. We will offer no excuse to the IDF to shoot us," she said.
"We have had training in what to do if the IDF board our boat. We have been told they will board us using helicopters and boats and we have had training in mock exercises for this but it will be nothing to what is likely to happen. We are prepared to be arrested but we will obey and we will not react or give any cause for them to shoot or beat us," she continued.
Since January 2009, Israel has enforced a naval blockade of the Gaza strip. 2010 saw the first Freedom Flotilla, which consisted of six ships, was raided by Israeli forces. As a result, ten people were killed and dozens were injured.
2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2025 all had attempts that were intercepted or attacked by Israeli forces. The 2025 flotilla saw hundred of activists, including Greta Thunberg, detained by Israeli forced. Thunberg told Swedish officials that she was subjected to harsh treatments whilst in Israeli custody.
An email, seen by the Guardian, from the Swedish embassy was able to meet with her whilst she was still in custody. They sent an email to her loved ones, which read: “She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces."
“Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed,” the Swedish ministry’s official added," the email continued.
